After a months-long leadership transition, Erin Silk has taken the leadership reins for the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County.

The EDC board formally voted to hire Silk on Thursday. Silk first came on with the EDC in 2019 as director of business development services and rose to the post of chief operations officer in November. She has worked closely with Lisa Krouse, who has served as CEO since 2021.

“It’s been inspiring to work with so many people who have given so much to Sarasota County,” Krouse said. “To be in a position and to work with remarkable people has been such a wonderful experience. We have transformed the organization and Erin will be hitting the ground running.”

Silk promised to continue a focus on economic diversification in the community. The region has continued to make strides in that direction, growing its manufacturing sector. She stressed the bulk of that is clean, desirable manufacturing that’s not dotting the county with smokestacks.

The new CEO has been with the organization through sometimes fractious periods with the county. But she said public-private partnerships remain the key to the organization’s success. And she noted the region remains a desirable one where CEOs often move even before considering relocating businesses or launching new ones.

On that front, Silk said she will continue to build on the legacy of EDC founders before her.

“Our region is undergoing transformation, and we are at a pivotal point when it is more important than ever to focus on workforce retention, foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem, and support diverse job creation while sustaining the environment that makes our County such a special place to live, work and play,” she said. “With a thoughtful eye on our history, I am excited to bring an innovative approach to our future.”

Meanwhile, EDC board leadership expressed confidence.

“The EDC team is strong, our Board of Directors is committed to the success of our organization, we have strong partnerships with all our municipalities, over 100 private investors who believe deeply in our mission, and we thank our County Commissioners who voted for full funding of our 2024 Strategic Plan,” wrote EDC Board Chair Mark Irwin in an email to EDC supporters.