Marc B. Nelson has been named Director of the Economic Development Department for the City of Roanoke, effective July 13, 2021. His selection was part of a national search, which yielded 40 applications for the position.
Nelson holds an MPA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a BA in history, also from UNC Chapel Hill. In addition, he is a graduate of the Roanoke College Management Institute. He currently serves as Manager of the Department of Economic Development, and served as Special Projects Coordinator in the same department from 2011 to 2019.
Prior to his work with the City, Nelson worked for six and a half years with the City of Savannah serving in the Development Services Department as Development Services Liaison and Public/Private Development Coordinator. He also served as Budget Analyst for the Justice and Public Safety Section of the State of North Carolina Office of Budget and Management for two years.
“Marc has been a valuable asset to the City’s economic development initiatives, and we are pleased to have him take the helm for this department, as Roanoke continues its work to attract and expand the businesses in our Community,” said City Manager Bob Cowell. “We are fortunate to have his leadership.”