Biography
Holly Childs became the City of Cincinnati’s new Economic Development Director in March 2007. Hired as the City’s lead “deal maker,” she is responsible for retaining and recruiting businesses to help expand Cincinnati’s tax base and increase investment in Cincinnati’s neighborhoods.
“Holly is a proven deal maker who can strategically help the City focus on those developments that will help us thrive,” said City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr. “Cincinnati is ripe for growth and Holly’s track record is all about growth. She has worked on large-scale developments; has experience in public funding of projects, including grants; and knows how to partner with the private sector to get projects done.”
Childs came to Cincinnati from the City of Goodyear, AZ where she was Economic Development Director. While there, she oversaw the successful location of Federated Department Store’s $100 million distribution center, which created more than 875 new jobs; the development of the $78 million McDowell Road Commercial Corridor Improvement District (ID) -- the largest ID ever in AZ history -- to support more than five million square feet of new retail development planned by 2009; the development of new industrial and office properties, including a rail-served industrial park and speculative distribution facilities; the active recruitment of several Fortune 500 office and industrial projects; and support of the Mayor’s recruitment of the Cleveland Indians baseball team to a recently-announced Spring Training Stadium to be located at Goodyear’s new City Center.
Childs has 11 years of successful economic development management experience, including posts as the Executive Director of the Preston County (WV) Economic Development Authority; Executive Director of Progress Alliance in Steubenville, Ohio; and most recently as President of the Greater Logan County (OH) Area Community Improvement Corporation.
In 2001, Ms. Childs was competitively selected as first American to ever participate in the Nagoya Japan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry's welcome program. She spent two months working in Nagoya as a trade representative while touring Japanese manufacturing operations, and developed a trade presentation for U.S. manufacturers while working with officials at the Japanese Export Trade Organization.
Child’s educational background includes a BA in Economics with Honors from Wake Forest University; an MS in Resource Economics from her home state West Virginia University; and substantial coursework completed toward her Ph.D. in Resource Economics and Economic Development, both at Oregon State University and West Virginia University. She is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute, and in 1999, became one of the country’s youngest professionally Certified Economic Developers.
Her professional affiliations include: the International Economic Development Council, the Corporate Real Estate Network, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the International Council of Shopping Centers, the Urban Land Institute, the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, and the Arizona Association for Economic Development.
