(Georgetown, Del) - Sussex County has a new Economic Development Director.
Tuesday, May 9, 2017, County Administrator Todd Lawson introduced William F. Pfaff as the County's new Economic Development director, restoring the position after a months-long vacancy following the passing last year of then-Economic Development director Melody Booker-Wilkins. Mr. Pfaff, of Millsboro, will begin work with the County on May 22.
Chosen from a field of 19 applicants, Pfaff brings with him more than 35 years of experience working in the local economy, first as a small business owner and most recently as a business liaison through a statewide public-private partnership. Lawson said that experience will be an asset to the County in helping to promote Sussex County and attract new commerce to the region.
"Bill has the right mix of experience on both sides of the equation. He personally understands the challenges small businesses face as a one-time business owner himself, and he knows how to access resources, whether it's financing or training, to help others succeed," Mr. Lawson said. "We're thrilled to have Bill on board, and with his deep knowledge of the local business community and long-established relationships, we expect him to hit the ground running."
Mr. Pfaff, who holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration from York College of Pennsylvania, comes to County government from the Delaware Small Business Development Center, a cooperative effort among the federal Small Business Administration, the State of Delaware, and the University of Delaware. Since 1993 he has served as local director, building the Sussex County office from the ground up. In his tenure, he has worked to assist hundreds of businesses by providing training, access to lenders, and developing marketing and business plans for newly recruited businesses, startups and expanding operations. Those have included everything from breweries and distilleries and food production plants to farm-based ice cream stands, early-learning centers, restaurants, car washes and more.
