Team NEO Announces Staff Changes
10/3/2011
For additional information, contact:
Jenny Febbo
216.363.5426 (o)
440.258.8805 (c)
jfebbo@teamneo.org
TEAM NEO ANNOUNCES STAFF CHANGES
Team NEO aligns and adds staff to enhance job-creation efforts
CLEVELAND, Ohio, September 26, 2011 – Team Northeast Ohio (Team NEO) announced today the promotion of Camille Billups to director, business attraction, minority owned business specialist and Rick Seifritz to director, research. In addition, Mary Cierebeij will join Team NEO as manager, business attraction, effective October 3.
Billups, who has three years of experience managing business attraction projects at Team NEO, will focus on identifying and pursuing minority-owned business attraction opportunities that will grow Northeast Ohio’s diversity in the business community. She will continue to manage and execute other select business attraction projects as well.
In his six years with Team NEO, Seifritz has directly contributed to numerous economic analysis reports and identified and implemented business intelligence tools that facilitate site selection and business location decisions. He will continue to co-manage Team NEO’s research staff and manage the growing scope of research efforts within Team NEO.
Cierebiej will manage and execute business attraction projects that lead to investments in the Cleveland Plus region. Her role will include connecting prospective businesses with a variety of resources including properties, supply chain partners and appropriate financial incentive options.
“With the launch of the JobsOhio Regional Office, Team NEO has taken on a broader scope of activities,” said Team NEO CEO Tom Waltermire. “This has presented us with the opportunity to assess our staff and align talent to better serve our two primary functions of business development and business attraction,” said Waltermire. “In their new roles, Camille, Rick and Mary will strengthen and enhance our business growth and job creation efforts.”
Billups, who joined Team NEO in 2008, has managed numerous projects to successful conclusions for the organization. She joined Team NEO with eight years of deal execution experience in the banking industry. While at Bank One (now JPMorgan Chase) and Societe Generale, she structured and helped to sell Asset Backed Securitization bonds in a variety of industries. She holds a bachelor's degree in Economics and Management from Albion College and a Masters of Public Administration degree from Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University.
Seifritz has been with Team NEO since 2005 as manager, research. Previously, he held a number of research-focused positions relative to his academic specializations at the graduate level, obtaining his masters degree in Urban Planning, Design and Development from the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University. He also received graduate certificates for specialized training in Urban Economic Development and Geographic Information Systems. He completed his undergraduate studies at the State University of New York at Brockport.
Cierebiej most recently was manager, attraction and expansion for Team Lorain County, one of the region’s major metropolitan chambers of commerce. She currently serves as a member of the Planning Commission for the City of Lakewood and is a member of Lakewood Alive, a citizens’ advocacy group formed by, and for, the citizens of Lakewood to provide residents with opportunities and information associated with economic development. In addition, she was nominated to the 2009 class of Crain’s Cleveland Business “40 Under 40.” Cierebiej holds a masters degree in Urban Studies and Economic Development from Cleveland State University. She received her undergraduate from the University of Dayton. Cierebiej is a Certified Planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners and a member of the Executive Committee for the Cleveland Chapter of the American Planning Association.
About Team NEO
Team NEO advances Northeast Ohio’s economy by serving as the 18-county region’s private-sector economic development hub. It connects the region to the state’s JobsOhio program and attracts new businesses worldwide. Since 2007, the organization has attracted 47 new company operations, 3,800 new jobs and more than $151 million in annual payroll to Northeast Ohio, leading to a total annual regional payroll benefit of $257 million.
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