Steve Geil to leave post at Fresno EDC

Steve Geil to leave post at Fresno EDC, by Business Journal staff  

After serving as President and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Fresno County for nearly four years, Steve Geil announced that he will leave his post in June to the organization's Board of Directors on Wednesday.

"It's due to some personal projects that I want to pursue downtown," he said about his decision.

Geil said he plans to develop a downtown farmers market, among other undisclosed ventures, which he said "could be construed as a conflict of interest."

He founded Geil Enterprises in 1986 with his wife, Eileen. He stepped down as its President and CEO to join the EDC but continues to serve as Chairman of the Board.

“He felt that which he wanted to do might be construed as having a conflict of interest with the EDC,” said Larry Fortune, EDC board member and president of Fortune Associates.

Mike Dozier, director of the Office of Community and Economic Development at California State University, Fresno, has worked closely with Geil to support businesses through projects like the Regional Jobs Initiative.

“Steve did a tremendous job progressing the EDC over the last couple of years,” Dozier said. “Taking it from a time when it was in a difficult situation to one where it’s on the right path.”

Fortune said that no formal process is in place yet for selecting a candidate to fill the post that will be vacated by Geil on June 30.

“We’ll have a tough time replacing him, he took the job to heart,” he said.