Watkins picks economic development director

by David Reed

June 1,2009

City Manager Bill Watkins has selected Columbia's new economic development director, an executive from Indiana with experience in working with the health industry and university researchers.
Mike Brooks will start on July 15 as director of Economic Development and president of Regional Economic Development Inc., or REDI. The current head of REDI, Bernie Andrews, will serve as REDI's executive vice president.
Brooks will be paid $120,000 annually. In addition, REDI will provide a performance-based incentive package if Brooks meets specific economic development objectives.
Brooks has more than 30 years of economic development experience, mostly in Indiana. He now heads the Indiana Health Industry Forum.
Watkins said in his 2008 State-of-the-City address that Columbia and Boone County needed someone to direct a competitive, technology-savvy and strategically sound marketing effort. Watkins said Brooks' work with major universities, particularly with Purdue, cutting-edge research and effective partnerships "made him rise to the top."