Director of Business Development Hired

Seeking to encourage companies to expand in Oxnard, the Greater Oxnard Economic Development Corp. has hired a veteran business development director from Washington state.

Pat Sweeney, executive director of the Skamania County Economic Development Council in southern Washington, is set to start his newly created $57,500-a-year job as director of business development on Monday.

Steve Kinney, president of the private, nonprofit Greater Oxnard Economic Development Corp., said Sweeney was selected from a field of 30 candidates because of his broad experience.

“He’s got an ideal background for this job,” Kinney said. “I could not believe my eyes when I read his resume, to tell the truth.”

The 54-year-old Sweeney, an Altadena native, has been a bank regional vice president, has managed a large manufacturing operation and has worked in development for the port of Portland, Ore.

While heading the Skamania County Economic Development Council, Sweeney developed a countywide plan for diversifying the economy and helped establish a business resource center.

Sweeney’s duties at the Economic Development Corp. will include working with existing Oxnard businesses that want to expand in the city. Sweeney will also assist Kinney in trying to attract businesses.

“It will be nice to be back home in California,” said Sweeney in an interview from his office in Stevenson, Wash. “I am excited about the potential of the greater Oxnard area and the port.”

Oxnard recently announced that manufacturers from Chatsworth and Ojai plan to move to Oxnard, adding an expected 640 jobs to the city. The news came after Nabisco Foods and Nestle USA shut down their operations in Oxnard in March, putting 700 people out of work.

The Economic Development Corp. is also hiring Elizabeth Callahan, a Ventura resident, who will become the organization’s administrative services coordinator.