BURIEN, WASH. – This week, the City of Burien welcomed Chris Craig to serve as its first Economic Development Specialist. In this newly-created role, Craig will work with the local business community, property owners, and developers on business retention, recruitment, and expansion efforts. The City Council approved the Economic Development Specialist position earlier this year to advance the priorities set through its Strategic Planning process.

“We’re excited to add Chris to our team,” says Dan Trimble, Burien Economic Development Manager. “His experience in project management, capital financing, and partnership building will add depth to our ability to retain and expand Burien businesses as well as attract new ones that add to our economic vitality.”

Craig comes to the City with a strong background in business development, project management, advocacy, communications, and public-private partnerships. Most recently, he served as a Business Development & Acquisitions Manager at American Capital Group in Bellevue, a premier multifamily housing developer with a portfolio of 80 communities across ten states. There, he won $6 million in tax credits and nearly $12 million in bonds from the Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC) for a senior housing development in Olympia.

Prior to his work at American Capital Group, Craig worked as Business Development Manager for Rockwell Publishing, also in Bellevue. He began his career as a founding staff member of the Digital Learning Commons in Seattle – a two-year pilot program funded by the Gates Foundation and the Washington State Legislature to promote technology and education in schools. There, he participated in curriculum development, managed a team of thirty instructors, and supported the expansion from a proof-of-concept phase into a sustainable 501(c)(3) organization.

Craig is a graduate of the University of Washington where he met his wife, whose family has lived in Burien for more than 25 years.

The City of Burien is a vibrant and creative community, where the residents embrace diversity, celebrate arts and culture, promote vitality, and treasure the environment. For more information, visit www.burienwa.gov.