Tucsonan to lead state Department of Commerce
by Multiple Authors on Dec. 13, 2006, under Local
Lesher
Gov. Janet Napolitano tapped a Tucson businesswoman and head of the governor’s Tucson office to serve as Arizona’s top economic developer.
Jan Lesher, 51, will direct the Arizona Department of Commerce starting next month as Napolitano begins her second term. Lesher has run the governor’s Tucson office since 2003.
Arizona, especially outside Maricopa County, has long been beset by low wages. A big part of Lesher’s job will be to help change that.
Coordinating state and local economic development efforts will be her first job, Lesher said.
“What I want to get a handle on is what is going on at the Department of Commerce to reach out to the various local (economic development) entities,” she said.
Lesher sits on the steering committee for the economic blueprint being drawn up for Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities Inc., the economic development agency representing Tucson and its surrounding communities.
“It’s great news,” said Joe Snell, TREO’s executive director. “Jan understands southern Arizona inside and out. She’s been there for us. She gets our culture.”
A year ago, TREO needed state support to lock the deal to bring the Pella Corp. window manufacturing plant to Tucson.
“We needed someone to respond quickly,” Snell said. “Jan would make it happen at light speed.”
“She’s been heavily involved in business and education. She knows how they work together,” said Bob Breault
, co-chair of the Arizona Optics Industry Association
, and a longtime promoter of Tucson’s high-tech sector.
By Blake Morlock, Teya Vitu
