McKINNEY, TX (June 8, 2009) --McKinney Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced today that it has hired Greg Sims for the position of Business Retention and Expansion Director. In additional to the duties of the BRE program, Sims will act as facilitator for MEDC’s sustainability initiative.   

“Because of Greg’s experience in economic development, along with his understanding of how the city developmental process works, he will be able to proactively and creatively interface with our local business community,” said David Pitstick, President/CEO of MEDC. “He will spearhead our effort in sustainability that will benefit existing businesses as well as attract innovative new companies to McKinney.”  

Sims has an extensive background in commercial real estate, project management and economic development. From 1996-2006, he served as vice president of the Garland Economic Development Partnership where he worked on projects resulting in more than $1 billion of commercial development. 

Some of these notable developments included the Firewheel Town Center, Bass Pro Shop and various industrial developments with Hillwood, First Industrial Trust, Primera, Myers & Crow and ProLogis.   

Most recently, Sims served as vice president of real estate lending at The Highlands Bank where he accumulated a loan and deposit asset portfolio of over $16 million. He served as chairman of the City of Rowlett Economic Development Advisory Board, 2008-2009. 

Sims has a BBA in Real Estate from University of North Texas (UNT) and is licensed as a real estate salesman. He has been a member of Texas Economic Development Corporation (TEDC) since 1996. 

About MEDC:  McKinney Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) works to identify, attract and retain companies that diversify and expand the local tax base through job creation and wage growth.  Since it was established in 1993, MEDC has invested in over 100 projects equaling more than $1 billion of taxable value.   

About McKinney:  McKinney has been one of the top fastest growing cities in the nation since 2000 and has a current population of 125,000.  In 2008, McKinney ranked in the top 100 wealthiest cities in the nation by American Business Journals and was listed in Money Magazine’s top 15 “Best Places to Live.”