St. Pete names new economic development leader

The St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corp. picked Michael Swesey as its new president and CEO, the EDC says in a Thursday news release.

Swesey will begin his duties at the public-private organization on Nov. 6, the EDC says, "at a time when St. Petersburg is poised to begin one of the most important downtown redevelopment projects in the country."

Swesey most recently served as executive vice president of the Greater Des Moines Partnership is Iowa. He has 30 years of experience in the field of economic development, the EDC says, and "led 30 successful expansion or relocation projects each year, creating more than $1 billion in new capital investment."