Gaddy, Smith Promoted to Senior Roles at Greenville, SC Economic Development

GREENVILLE, S.C. - Oct. 10, 2023 - PRLog -- The Greenville Area Development Corporation (https://greenvilleeconomicdevelopment.com/) (GADC) has announced the promotion of two key members of Greenville County's nationally recognized economic development organization effective October 9, 2023.  Tavia CM Gaddy and Tony Smith, each a project manager with the organization, have both been promoted to Senior Project Manager.

"Thanks to Tavia's and Tony's outstanding efforts and contributions, tens of thousands of jobs have been created and billions of dollars invested here in Greenville County," said Kevin Landmesser, GADC Interim President and CEO.  "Tavia and Tony have each done an exceptional job of building relationships with business and industry colleagues that have translated into positive growth for our community.  Together, they exemplify the ability and professionalism that makes GADC one of the most respected economic development organizations in America."

Ms. Gaddy, a GADC project manager since 2005 when she was recruited from the South Carolina Department of Commerce, has been involved in creating in excess of 12,800 new jobs and more than $1.5 billion in new capital investment in Greenville County during her tenure, including such notable announcements as Bausch & Lomb, Kyocera-AVX, Lima One Capital, T&S Brass and Esurance.

She received a B.A. in Mass Communications from Grambling State University and a master's in mass communications from the University of South Carolina.  She is a board member of the S.C. Economic Developers Association and holds her South Carolina Certified Economic Developer (SCCED) accreditation.

Mr. Smith joined the GADC team as project manager in 2008 from the South Carolina Department of Commerce, where he served as Senior Manager of private finance and equity, and Director of Private Sector Finance.  Prior to SC Commerce, he held various roles with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.

At GADC, Mr. Smith's work has resulted in announcements totaling over $1.5 billion in capital investment and more than 10,000 jobs, including recent announcements for Thermo King, Marleylilly, GE Appliances, Honeywell, and DC Blox.

He serves as GADC's lead recruiter for Life Sciences industry organizations, and serves as GADC project finance officer, advising staff on methods of financing for capital-seeking clients, maintaining knowledge of financing resources, and fostering industry relationships to support high-growth companies with capital needs.

Mr. Smith is a South Carolina Certified Economic Developer, and an active member of the SC Economic Developers Association.  He holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University.

An economic impact study conducted in 2022 by USC's Moore School of Business showed that GADC's economic impact on Greenville County now exceeds $6 billion annually, with a cumulative impact since 2001 of over $55 billion. GADC has also announced in excess of 35,000 jobs and $6.7 billion in new capital investment, benefiting the community's tax base.