Augusta Economic Development President Cal Wray has been selected as one of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers of 2021.
Selections for the Top 50 list are based on recommendations from others who work in economic development or site consulting, according to a press release from Consultant Connect, the agency that connects economic developers and site consultants. The criteria are “excellent practices, innovation, and success in building the communities they serve.”
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“North America’s Top 50 is important to me, actually, because the recommendations are what I’m looking for,” Wray said. “It (also) recognizes the hard work of our Board, staff and that our efforts are attracting attention and creating results.”
Wray came to Augusta three years ago for the job opportunity when the city’s development authority asked him to apply for the position
Previously, Wray had worked as the executive director of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation and Aspire Clarksville Foundation in Clarksville, Tenn. He also held economic development positions with the Cullman Economic Development Agency in Cullman, Ala.
From 2007 until 2014, Wray worked as vice president and then president of the Dublin-Laurens County Development Authority in Dublin, Ga. Wray said he got to know the state and the Department of Economic Development for the State of Georgia while working in Dublin.
When offered the opportunity to work with the City of Augusta, Wray accepted because he wanted to rebuild Augusta’s Economic Development Authority and put his own touch on it.
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For the future, Wray said he wanted to bring in more cyber security jobs to the city. Cyber security jobs have opened from Georgia Cyber Command with the U.S. Army Cyber Command within the Department of Defense, but he does not want the cyber security industry jobs to end there.
“It’s got to be more than DOD (Department of Defense),” Wray said. “It’s got to be Health IT. It’s got to be FinTech (Financial Technology). So, it’s helping to try to build an ecosystem within Augusta. So, it started with cyber security but (will be developed) into much more with even more technology firms and industries.”
In addition, Wray is developing Augusta’s industrial park and maretking it to the right tenants: advanced manufacturers, food manufacturers, etc. He hopes to also develop new industrial parks and office spaces and build the right infrastructure to sustain them.
Overall, Wray hopes to address the mix of industries in Augusta and create job opportunities for all Augustans with a livable wage and career opportunities. He believes this will improve Augusta and the region in ways that his predecessors were unable to.
“Our office in the past was only focused on manufacturing locations before my arrival,” Wray said. “We are now interacting with all industries from medical, cyber security, manufacturing, commercial, retail, etc. No matter how large or small we will try to help jobs be created in Augusta. We have hired skilled individuals to carry out our goals and to be a service to our community.”
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