Roanoke County has hired a new director of economic development.
Megan Baker, who currently is president of the Fayette County Development Authority in Georgia, will start Oct. 24, Roanoke County said in a news release Monday.
She replaces Jill Loope, who announced her retirement in July after leading the county’s economic development department since 2013.
“We are fortunate that someone with Megan’s knowledge and experience will be joining the County’s team,” county administrator Richard Caywood said in the announcement. “She will be instrumental in expanding our efforts to attract and retain new economic development interests.”
Baker has led business attraction and retention programs for Fayette County, a locality near Atlanta with a population of about 114,000, and spearheaded the development of a 600-acre business park, according to the release. She previously was policy director at the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. She holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from North Carolina State University and a Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University. She is also a graduate of the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute.