Darryl Gosnell's charge: Lure business in slumping economy

Fresh out of graduate school in the 1970s, Darryl Gosnell worked for West Virginia to attract businesses to a rural nine-county region that had just one freeway.

"West Virginia was not very aggressive at attracting businesses," he said. "I was pretty much the only person in that whole area doing economic development."

Now Gosnell, 61, leads a team of 12 at the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance, a public-private group charged with bringing business leads to the entire region. He succeeded C. Jones Hooks, the alliance's longtime president and chief executive, in October.

Gosnell credits those early years in West Virginia for helping him become attuned to what companies were looking for - such as low cost of living, good location, available workers - and how to pitch a region to them.

"I learned early in my career, a real important part of being successful in this business is being a good listener," he said. "You never learn anything while you're talking. If you listen to the client, you'll pick up key parts of what they are looking for, and that helps you close the deal."

That skill could become more relevant than ever as Gosnell begins marketing Hampton Roads amid what appear to be the worst economic conditions in more than a decade. As jobs and business activity ebb, regions will compete harder for the few businesses that will expand in the coming year.

"Obviously, the downturn in the economy is the major factor for him," said Michael Barrett, chief executive officer of Virginia Beach developer Runnymede Corp. and chairman of the search committee formed to find a replacement for Hooks. "So our approach will probably have to change. He is obviously well experienced with these kinds of business cycles."

Since Gosnell left the West Virginia Department of Commerce, his resume has grown long. He's held economic development roles in Des Moines, Iowa; Dayton, Ohio; Greenville, S.C.; and the Florida cities of Gainesville and Miami. Three years ago, he joined the Tulsa Metro Chamber of Commerce in Oklahoma and most recently was its senior vice president of economic development.

Mike Neal, president and chief executive of the Tulsa Metro Chamber of Commerce, said Gosnell is very focused on achieving goals.

"Darryl is also a good regional collaborator," Neal said. "He realizes that no community can do economic development by themselves. He works well with local governments and the private sector."

That experience could be key to overseeing an organization that serves 15 municipalities from Williamsburg to Virginia Beach.

One of the challenges for Gosnell next year could be keeping the organization fully funded amid the flagging economy.

"Every city in this region is going to be facing, if not budget deficits, at least pressure on their contributions to the organization," Barrett said.

The alliance, which had a budget of slightly more than $3 million this year, relies on funding from municipalities and businesses. Three years ago, the group merged with the Peninsula Alliance for Economic Development.

The slowdown will give Gosnell the opportunity in the next six months to a year to evaluate the size of the alliance's staff and make sure it's in line what what's needed, Barrett said.

"We thought Jones created a very solid organization," said John Padgett, an attorney with McGuireWoods and a member of the alliance's executive committee. "We were looking for someone who wouldn't rock the boat too much but could leverage our existing resources."

Gosnell, who has a bachelor's degree in public relations and master's in public administration from West Virginia University, said 2009 will be a year for the alliance to continue marketing the region so that when the economy picks up, companies will consider Hampton Roads.

"It doesn't matter who you talk to. This is a tough economy," he said. "There aren't a lot of companies expanding right now. We need to dig down into our notes from previous years, review where our leads came from in the past, and return to these areas."

Josh Brown, (757) 446-2318, josh.brown@pilotonline.com