Salt Lake City's economic development director leaving for Virginia job

The leader of Salt Lake City’s first-ever economic development department will leave the position in August to lead an economic development organization in Virginia.

Lara Fritts, who was appointed in May 2016 by Mayor Jackie Biskupski, will leave as director of the city’s Department of Economic Development on Aug. 2 to become president and CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership (GRP), an organization serving the city of Richmond and counties of Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico.

“While I am excited to be joining the team at GRP, I leave Salt Lake City with a heavy heart,” Fritts said. “I am incredibly proud of the work we have done as a part of ‘Team Utah’ and I know this department will continue to lead because of the high-caliber talent we have in place.”

In Salt Lake City, Fritts initially worked to fulfill Biskupski’s vision of creating a cabinet-level Department of Economic Development, aligning the work of business development, the Redevelopment Agency and the Salt Lake City Arts Council.

During the past three years, the department has been responsible for creating over 9,000 jobs and nearly $1 billion in capital investment, and attracting more than two dozen companies in Salt Lake City, according to the city. The list of companies includes Amazon, Stadler Rail, UPS and Post Consumer Brands.

The department recently became an Accredited Economic Development Organization through the International Economic Development Council — a designation attained by only 64 other organizations worldwide.

“In three short years, Lara Fritts has firmly established my vision for a world-class economic development department to represent Utah’s capital city,” Biskupski said. “Lara and her team have created opportunity for thousands of people, been instrumental in helping the city address critical issues, and have become part of the fabric of the region’s business development efforts. Lara Fritts’ expertise makes her a valuable asset for any organization and we wish her well as she embarks on her newest effort.”

Biskupski is expected to name an interim director prior to Fritts’ departure.

In Virginia, Fritts will succeed Barry I. Matherly, who left the top role at the partnership in late December to take the top position at a similar group in Detroit, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

“We are proud to welcome Lara as the organization’s new president and CEO,” said Buck Stinson, senior vice president of U.S. card partnerships at Capital One and chairman of the GRP board. “She has a very strong background in consensus-building, marketing communities and organizational development. She is a proven collaborator as well as a speaker and educator with diverse groups of stakeholders.”

Fritts has more than 20 years of experience in economic development, management and technology. Before becoming Salt Lake City’s economic development director, she was director of business development at accounting and consulting firm Baker Tilly Virchow Krause. She also served as the president and CEO of the Annapolis (Maryland) Economic Development Corp.; executive director of the Southeast Fairfax Development Corp.; executive director of the Greater Rockville Partnership; and the president and CEO of the Washington, D.C., Technology Council.