City taps Vaux for Economic Development position
The city of West Fargo has hired Mark Vaux as their new Director of Economic Development and Community Services.
Vaux will assume duties the first week in March, filling a newly-expanded and restructured position that was created after the passing in September 2011 of longtime city business development director Dorinda Anderson.
Vaux has been associated with the South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development for eight years, most recently serving as senior business development representative.
Vaux earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business management from Northern State University, Aberdeen, S.D.; and has graduated from a number of development and leadership courses.
During his tenure, he was active in the Aberdeen community as a member of the Chamber of Commerce, serving on the Margin of Excellence Committee at Northern State University, and as past chairman of Absolutely! Aberdeen.
He and his wife, Dawn, are the parents of a son and two daughters, now young adults.
In his role, Vaux will be responsible for working with economic development issues pertaining to businesses in both the primary and retail sector, as well as community development areas, including housing and transportation items such as bussing and low income and senior housing. He will also be the city spokesperson for the downtown redevelopment and the contact with the Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Commission and the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber.
West Fargo Mayor Rich Mattern said that “the city was fortunate to have a good pool of candidates to work with.” Approximately 26 applied for the position, 10 were selected as finalists and five ultimately interviewed.
“However, Mark’s economic development work in South Dakota really stood out,” Mattern noted. “He has a great deal of experience that will be valuable to the city of West Fargo; and his experience will be a good fit for the restructured position. We will have a lot going on in our city this summer with construction, and I know that Mark will hit the ground running and do a great job for us.
“I’m very excited for everyone in our community to meet him. I am looking forward to working with Mark and everyone to keep West Fargo the ‘city on the grow.’”
Vaux said he is enthusiastic about being involved with the community’s huge growth potential. “I am really excited about that and getting up here and partnering with the community at all levels, both public and private business, to take them to the next level and expand the economic base. We will focus on creating jobs, and growing investment opportunities and increasing the bottom line of businesses that are there.”
“I enjoy economic development. It’s a lot of fun. I have a passion for it and I am excited about this. Two of our kids attended and graduated from North Dakota State, so we are familiar with the community and we always targeted it as a place we thought would be excellent to grow professionally and personally if and when the opportunity came about. I have lived in Aberdeen my entire life, so this will be something completely new and we are really looking forward to it.”