Lee Downey

With over 25 years of experience in planning and economic development, Lee has held positions working in all areas of economic development at local, regional and state levels of government.

His work in both urban and rural communities includes site selection, marketing, business development, project management, incentives/tax credit negotiation and strategic planning. He has experience with a variety of business assistance and incentive programs such as Opportunity Zones, the newly created community investment tool established in 2017 aimed at encouraging investments in urban and rural communities, Enterprise Zones, and other smaller discretionary community development funding programs.

As Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Economic Development & Planning and Director of Economic & Community Development, both for the City of Richmond, Lee oversaw a successful economic development program with a team that announced over 7,500 new jobs and $900 million in new investment during his seven-year tenure. His position leading the economic development efforts in Richmond provided strong experience working in a rapidly growing urban setting.

He also served as a Business Development Project Manager and a Sites & Buildings Specialist at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) earlier in his career. In his time with VEDP, Lee personally led projects that brought over 4,000 new jobs and $375 million of new investment to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Through his work with VEDP and the regional Appomattox Basin Industrial Development Corporation (ABIDCO) in Petersburg, Virginia, Lee worked on a variety of projects both urban and rural. He guided projects to success in rural southern and southwest Virginia, working with both small urban communities and large, rural county governments.

Relevant Experience

• Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Economic Development & Planning, City of Richmond, Virginia 2014–2018
• Director of Economic & Community Development, City of Richmond, Virginia, 2011–2014
• Vice President of Business Development, McKinney & Company, 2008–2011
• Marketing Manager, McGuireWoods, 2006–2008
• Business Development Project Manager, Virginia Economic Development Partnership, 2001–2006
• Sites & Buildings Specialist, Virginia Economic Development Partnership, 2000–2001
• Marketing Specialist, Appomattox Basin Industrial Development Corporation, 1995–2000