Cameron GOODMAN is the director of economic development for the City of Georgetown. He leads the department’s business recruitment and retention efforts and implements the city’s strategic plan and vision for economic development.
Cameron holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Sam Houston State University. Cameron is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute and is a Certified Economic Developer.
What are you excited about as economic development director?
I’m excited to work with a team of true professionals in the City of Georgetown. Economic development projects are highly competitive and Georgetown competes against cities across Texas and sometimes even cities across the nation. Georgetown has a strong track record of winning economic development projects in large thanks due to our successful ability of multiple departments to work together towards a common goal. Even the most well-organized projects face unexpected obstacles and it is encouraging to know that I have such a strong team to tackle these projects with together.
What are the biggest obstacles you have had to overcome as economic development director?
I had large shoes to fill when I jumped into my role here in Georgetown. Thanks to the strategic vision of our leadership team and the incredible work done by our city staff in multiple departments, Georgetown is one of the prime destinations for economic development projects in Texas. My main challenge when first starting in this role was to keep the great momentum that had been built and ensure that we were deliberate in pursuing project partnerships that are a good fit for Georgetown and its residents.
What do you love most about YOUR ROLE with Georgetown Economic Development?
I feel proud to work in a community that has such a distinct sense of place and history. Georgetown isn’t just a place to live, it’s a place where you can build a full life. Georgetown was already a great place to live and work when I came here, but I feel very fortunate to help bring new economic opportunities to our residents and helping to bring in new investment into the community that ensures Georgetown will remain a special community for many years to come.
Are there any projects in the pipeline you can share?
We are continuing to see a strong pipeline of economic development projects here in Georgetown. While the examples I mentioned above are primarily manufacturing projects, we continue to see a strong amount of growth in commercial businesses including restaurants, retail stores, and entertainment venues.
What projects have landed in the last year and how will they benefit Georgetown?
There have been several new companies that have located their operations in Georgetown in the last year including ZT Systems, who will become one of Georgetown’s largest employers, as well as Strategic Thermal Labs, Valex Corporation, and Control Panels USA. These four projects have plans to create more than 2,000 full-time jobs and involve hundreds of millions of dollars of new capital investment into our community. The vast majority of these new positions will be hired locally which not only creates economic opportunities for Georgetown residents, but it also creates new career pathways into high-tech careers for students in Georgetown ISD. In addition to these career opportunities, every residential taxpayer in Georgetown benefits when these projects locate in our community and help to diversify our property tax base.