Bradenton Area EDC interim CEO: Transition brings opportunity

In any organization, periods of transition are inflection points. While they are often framed as moments of risk, I believe they can also serve as powerful catalysts for renewal when approached with intentional fresh perspective. Transition creates time to step back, challenge legacy assumptions, and bring greater clarity to purpose, priorities, and accountability.

As I step into the role of interim CEO at the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp., I am keenly aware of the responsibility that comes along with it. The EDC became an independent organization in 2011 and, under the leadership of CEO Sharon Hillstrom, spent the past 14 years focused on diversifying the local economy by attracting and retaining high-wage jobs and connecting established businesses to the resources they need to succeed. With Sharon’s retirement at the end of 2025, the organization now enters a natural moment of transition, one that calls for steady leadership, reflection, and a thoughtful path forward. 

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As the executive transition committee conducts its search for a new CEO, our community has a rare and valuable opportunity to be thoughtful about the future we are shaping. This is the moment to ask foundational questions: How should this organization function at its best? What outcomes and metrics truly define success? What qualities do we want in a leader to ensure the EDC moves forward with transparency, collaboration, and measurable impact?

On Jan. 27, the Manatee County Commission voted unanimously to authorize the Bradenton Area EDC to engage County staff in discussions regarding our working relationship. The 7–0 vote, while not yet an approved agreement, is worth celebrating. It has allowed space for those important questions to be explored together, strengthening alignment and ultimately improving how the EDC serves the community. A small step. A big win. I’m also looking forward to continuing similar conversations with our municipal partners as well. 

Much like that, I’ve always believed progress reveals itself through quieter moments: frank conversations, late nights and early mornings, humility, and recognizing that we achieve far more together than we ever could alone. Since immersing myself in this position that philosophy has only been reinforced.

In this role, as I serve my community, my focus will be twofold: rebuilding relationships and amplifying the work the organization already does well. We have a strong story to tell. Our responsibility is to make its results clear, accessible, and meaningful to the community. As a colleague recently reminded me, it’s not about sweeping change or wild intensity, but rather gentle consistency and intentional action.

So where to start? For me, it begins with listening. Listening to staff. Engaging with investors. Sitting down with elected officials. Collaborating with partner organizations. It also means being willing to have open dialogue, identifying areas of opportunity, and using that feedback to strengthen how we move forward together. The truth is, I don’t have the answers, but this community does. My role is to be a facilitator, connector, problem-solver, communicator, and teammate.

At the same time, I continue to see tangible proof of what strong public-private collaboration can deliver. The recent Pilatus Aircraft groundbreaking at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport is a powerful example. Representing a $200 million on-site investment, the project brings advanced manufacturing, high-wage jobs, and long-term economic impact to our region. It did not happen overnight or in isolation. Rather, it reflects more than three years of steady progress, with many small, intentional steps coming together through sustained partnership between Manatee County, airport leadership, and the Bradenton Area EDC.

And it is not just Pilatus. Since January, the Bradenton Area EDC has engaged with 15 companies exploring expansion or relocation opportunities in Manatee County and has worked with 11 existing businesses as part of our ongoing commitment to business retention. These efforts span a range of industries, including advanced manufacturing, sports performance, aviation, and life sciences, reflecting the diversity and strength of the county’s growing economic base.

This period of transition is about continuity and focus. I want to be clear: the mission of the Bradenton Area EDC is not wavering. If anything, it is being sharpened. Your continued investment during this period of transition provides essential stability and confidence needed to strengthen relationships, refine operations, and clearly demonstrate our impact. Now more than ever, your partnership allows the EDC to move forward with fresh perspective while remaining grounded in its purpose.

I am genuinely optimistic about what lies ahead. I have never felt more supported by this community, and I am deeply grateful for the phone calls, handwritten notes, emails, conversations, hugs, advice, and candid feedback that have come my way over the past several weeks. Each of those moments, many of them quiet and personal, reinforce my confidence in the strength of the Bradenton Area EDC and the steady progress underway. With that foundation, the organization will be well prepared to welcome its next CEO and continue delivering meaningful impact for our region.

Amanda Parrish is a partner and COO with Lakewood Ranch-based Fawley Bryant Architecture. She was named interim CEO of the Bradenton Area EDC in January.