Gwinnett Chamber's Economic Development Department has grown significantly. From just two employees less than a year ago, it has become the fastest growing in the nation and the largest local team in the State. The team includes everything from an aggressive and expert business development team to proactive marketing, research and event management.
The Economic Development Team
Nick Masino, Vice President
Economic Development & Partnership Gwinnett
(404) 667-6425 cell
(770) 232-8802 office
Email Nick Masino
Nick Masino, Vice President of Economic Development, oversees the business recruitment and retention efforts for Gwinnett County as well as the implementation of the Partnership Gwinnett Strategy. Prior to his role in economic development, Masino spent 12 years in the recruiting, headhunting and staffing industry both in Metro Atlanta and throughout the U.S. Masino worked with various business models from entrepreneurial ventures to Fortune 100 companies, managing multi-million dollar efforts focused on recruitment in the ares of IT, Finance and General Business. Masino also served the citizens of Suwanee, GA, as Mayor from 2000-2007 leading the city to receive over 30 national, regional and local awards, including its most recent and highest honor as the 2007 Money Magazine 10th Best Small Town in America. Masino earned his B.A. in Communications from The Ohio State University.
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Lauren Salas, Business Development Manager
Corporate Headquarters/Regional Offices
(404) 219-0218 cell
(678) 584-2265 office
Email Lauren Salas
Lauren Salas serves as the Business Development manager targeting Corporate/Regional headquarter growth in Gwinnett. Salas comes to the chamber with a wealth of economic development experience. While in her role as International Project Coordinator for the GDEcD (Georgia Department of Economic Development), she was the liaison for the Department's international offices in ten countries and promoted international investment and trade for the state of Georgia. Salas has also implemented program initiatives and managed the direction of business advocacy for members at the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She is a graduate of Auburn University and currently resides in Lawrenceville.
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Alison Nalley Starnes, Business Development Manager
Trade & Distribution
(770) 265-2906 cell
(678) 584-2266 office
Email Alison Starnes
Alison Nalley Starnes serves as the Business Development Manager targeting Trade & Distribution industry growth in Gwinnett.
Prior to her current role, Starnes worked for the City of Snellville as their Economic and Community Development Manager, improving business community involvement, recruiting prospective new businesses to the Snellville area, and implementing programs in an effort to produce an entrepreneurial environment. Starnes significantly built her career experience for two years at the Waycross-Ware County Chamber of Commerce. As Executive Director, Starnes led the Chamber into financial stability, coordinated chamber networking events, facilitated new business openings, marketed the community to residents and managed chamber memberships to develop the organization into a strong asset for the community. Starnes is a member of GEDA (Georgia Economic Developer's Association) and participates in ongoing education with the Georgia Academy for Economic Development. Starnes is a West Georgia graduate and currently resides in Suwanee.
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Nicole Wright, Business Development Manager
Information Technology & Advanced Communications
(404) 783-7377 cell
(678) 584-2259 office
Email Nicole Wright
Nicole Wright serves as the business development manager targeting Information Technology and Advanced Communication industry growth in Gwinnett. Wright works on company expansion and recruitment projects in order to elevate Gwinnett’s presence in the Technology industry on a national and global platform.
Prior to her current role, Wright served as the Niche Market Program Manager from within the Gwinnett Chamber. While in this role, Wright supported the overall mission of the Chamber in creating, promoting, and sustaining a responsible pro-business environment by providing quality programs for Gwinnett County’s niche market businesses. Wright came to the Chamber having overseen the Six Sigma program for Cintas Corporation (Lawrenceville), increasing the company's overall efficiency and effectiveness. Wright graduated with honors from The University of Georgia earning a BBA in international business (specification in finance) and is currently working on her Masters in Business Administration from Georgia State Univerisity.
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Lisa Sherman, Director -- Marketing & Public Relations
Economic Development/Partnership Gwinnett
(678) 584-2267 office
(678) 334-1513 cell
Email Lisa Sherman
Lisa Sherman is the Marketing and Public Relations Director for Economic Development where she works as the staff lead on external marketing efforts in support and promotion of the Partnership Gwinnett Initiative. Lisa comes to the Chamber from over seven years with AGCO Corporation, a major worldwide manufacturer & distributor of agricultural equipment, headquartered in Gwinnett (Duluth, GA). Sherman began in marketing support and worked her way into communications. As a coordinator with the communications department, Sherman supported the communications managers, implementing processes, planning events and training for management. By 2003, Sherman had been promoted to project management, handling the marketing communications for AGCO's Application Equipment Division where she remained until her move to the Chamber. She holds a degree in Interpretative Speech (Communications) from Bob Jones University and currently resides in Loganville.
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Mark Farmer, Director -- Entrepreneurship & Information Services
Economic Development/Partnership Gwinnett
(678) 584-2268 office
Email Mark Farmer
Mark Farmer is the Director of Entrepreneurship & Information Services for Economic Development and Partnership Gwinnett, driving small business and entrepreneurial goals and objectives in the Partnership Gwinnett strategy while providing key information and support necessary to drive targeted-industry small business development initiatives. Prior to his current role, Mark assisted Partnership Gwinnett and the Gwinnett Chamber as Research Manager, providing and tracking essential information to the marketing and growth of Partnership Gwinnett and economic development.
Mark came to the Chamber with 20 years' business experience, including several as a small business entrepreneur with Words & Pictures, a writing and photography firm he owned and operated. He worked on projects for Emory University's Public Health magazine, Georgia Tech, and the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games. In addition to starting his own business, Farmer has also held positions with Life University's public relations and photography departments, MARTA, Hayes Microcomputer Products, Powell Goldstein legal firm and Multimedia, Inc. Farmer holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of South Carolina and a master's degree in economic development policy from Georgia Tech. He lives in Decatur.
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Lindsay Myers, Economic Development Coordinator
Economic Development/Partnership Gwinnett
(678) 957-4944 office
Email Lindsay Wing
Lindsay Wing serves as the Economic Development Coordinator where she assists with event planning and logistics, marketing & public relations and manages the hYPe Gwinnett Young Professionals organization. Prior to her role at the Chamber, Lindsay interned with Keep Bulloch Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, where she worked public education recycling projects for the Bulloch County School system, handled press and media releases and organized large and small scale events. She graduated in 2008 from Georgia Southern University with a degree in Communications/Public Relations and currently resides in Suwanee.
