Mayor Tim McKinney announced that on September 1st that Dean Lee began serving as Economic Development Director for the City of Berryville. Dean replaced Chris Claybaker (Berryville’s first EDD) who recently retired after 7 years with the city. Dean is a 1975 Berryville High School Graduate and has served as the Executive Director of the Berryville Chamber of Commerce for the past 18 months. Prior to coming to Berryville, Dean spent his career in athletics as Athletic Director at Arkansas State University and Arkansas Tech University. He also previously served as Vice President of the Razorback Foundation and Associate AD at Oklahoma State University.
Mayor Tim McKinney said, “We are lucky to have a person with Dean’s experience and I look forward to working with him to continue what Chris got started. I know Dean is going to bring a lot of energy and new ideas to the table. Dean has done a great job with the Chamber and his experience there will help us keep a close working relationship with the Chamber that has served Berryville well the last few years.”
“I have loved my time working with the Chamber and look forward to this opportunity to assist with the economic development of Berryville,” Dean Lee said. “I appreciate Mayor McKinney’s confidence in me as I transition to this position and I’m excited to begin working on new developments that will grow and benefit this community.”
“The Berryville Chamber of Commerce Board would like to recognize the outstanding contributions Dean Lee has made the last couple of years to the efforts of the Chamber,” Chamber President Craig Kesner said. “We want to congratulate Dean on this career move and look forward to working with Dean in his continuing capacity as ex-officio Board Member representing the City of Berryville. As we transition and as its available, we will release more information about the Chamber’s plans around a search for a new Executive Director. In the interim we appreciate the City and Dean’s assistance with continuing with our Chamber efforts.”
