The Development Authority of Bryan County looked far and wide for a successor to Josh Fenn, who resigned in June to take over the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce.
In the end, the DABC found who it was looking for just down the road.
The authority’s top board member announced Monday the appointment of Liberty County Development Authority marketing and research director Anna Chafin as the new DABC chief executive officer.
“From my standpoint as chairman, we were very excited to have a quality person like her be interested in the job, and we look forward to the future with Anna on board,” DABC chairman Steve Croy said.
Chafin, who will start work in early November, was among a list of 20 “serious” candidates, Croy said, and the list was whittled down to three before Chafin was selected.
“(We) had lot of good options to choose from and she really stood out from the crowd,” Croy said. “She has a great circle of influence throughout the economic development community. She knows the market well and she’s highly respected among her peers.”
Neither Croy nor Chafin would comment on her salary, but both said it is competitive with similar positions around the state. Fenn, her predecessor, was paid more than $60,000 annually.
Chafin said she was attracted to the job because of the county’s assets and the people who serve on the DABC.
“Bryan County’s marketable product, with two industrial parks situated near the Port of Savannah, was one of the primary reasons I was interested in the position,” she said in response to an emailed list of questions. “Also, once I learned more about the Development Authority of Bryan County board, I was excited about the possibility of working with a group really committed to attracting new industry and helping existing industry grow.”
Croy said Chafin’s experience with Liberty County was a plus.
“She’s really just so well connected. Her knowledge of the ports as well as state economic developers and brokers in the community was impressive,” he said.
Chafin spent eight years with the LCDA during a time when Liberty County saw several manufacturers either relocate to the county or expand, among them Firth Rixon, Florapharm Tea and SNF Floquip.
“My position with the LCDA has given me a broad range of experience from prospect recruitment and marketing of industrial assets to working with a board and networking locally, regionally and statewide,” Chafin said. “I believe I can immediately leverage my experience and connections to help Bryan County take the community’s economic development efforts to the next level,” she said.

Read more in the Oct. 9 edition of the News.