(WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com) — The CEO of Erie Downtown Development Corporation (EDDC) has announced his imminent departure.
John Persinger will step down at the end of 2022. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of EDDC in February 2018.
“What I’m most proud of is that we did what we said we were going to do,” Persinger said Aug. 29. nowhere after a press conference or after a press release. But here we jumped in and said we were going to do 12 projects, over $100 million investment over the next five years, and we did it.
Persinger said he and his family plan to move to Australia to raise their children closer to family. Persinger was born in Erie and said he wanted to make a change downtown.
According to its website, EDDC was established in 2017 to transform downtown Erie City and spark revitalization in the area. The CEO had played an important role in EDDC projects, including the Flagship City Food Hall which opened in November. EDDC’s efforts have resulted in more than 25 new businesses and 140 new residential units.
Persinger plans to assist in the process of finding and hiring a new CEO at EDDC. He said it would be a national search.