Feb. 13—JAMESTOWN — A veteran staff member of the Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. will take over as the new CEO in March.
The JSDC Board of Directors unanimously approved on Monday, Feb. 13, Corry Shevlin as the new CEO effective March 1.
Shevlin, current vice president of business development at JSDC, will take over for current CEO Connie Ova. Shevlin's salary will be more than $112,000 a year.
Shevlin has been with the JSDC for almost nine years, starting as an intern before most recently serving as the vice president of business development. Shevlin also serves on the Economic Development Association of North Dakota Board of Directors and the MidAmerica Economic Development Council Board of Directors.
Ova said Shevlin is "definitely" her recommendation to be the next CEO of the JSDC.
"He's done a fantastic job with the projects that we're working on currently," she said. "I feel very comfortable turning over. He's doing the job now."
Shevlin said after the meeting the search process for a vice president of business development will begin immediately.
Ova will continue to work three days per week with a 20% reduction in salary, contributions to retirement and accumulation of medical and vacation time. Her insurance coverage will stay the same.
Tory Hart, chair of the board, said Ova will stay with JSDC to help with some of the larger projects that the organization has been working on for years.
"At some point when the staffing is right and the replacement is in place and further hires are in place is when we would see Connie be finished here at the JSDC but it's a little bit of a flexible open-type calendar," he said.
In other business, the JSDC Board unanimously approved changes to its Internship Reimbursement Program.
Changes to the program include limiting it to students who are or will be juniors or seniors at the start of the internship or who are within two years of completing their program and not allowing duplicate applications.
"We are really looking to make that connection with somebody that is getting close to graduating, getting close to figuring out what they want to do with the employer and potentially staying in the area," said Rod Johnson, board member.
Board members
previously raised concerns
about a repeat application consisting of the same person and same business.
The Internship Reimbursement Program is designed to increase the number of local internships and help employers in workforce recruitment and retention, according to the JSDC's website. The program contributes up to $3,500 to reimburse employers that are hiring university/college students to assist in payroll costs and is open to employers in Stutsman County. Employers may be eligible for half the payroll cost to be reimbursed.