September 8, 2011

The Temple Economic Development Corporation announced today that Elizabeth Leasure has been hired to fill the Manager of Research and Project Management role within the organization. Leasure comes to the Temple Economic Development Corporation with years of experience and will focus on managing research and programming that will benefit Temple’s existing industries.

“We are excited about the new direction Elizabeth can take us with her diversified experience in economic development. Temple is becoming a major player not only in Central Texas but in the State. Elizabeth has the background and expertise to help us develop into a more competitive community,” Lee Peterson, president of the TEDC, said.

Elizabeth joins the Temple Economic Development Corporation as Manager of Research and Project Management and is responsible for performing research and industry analysis for economic development projects, for existing industry and opportunities for recruitment, proposal submissions, and managing organizational reports and databases for the corporation.

Before joining TEDC, Elizabeth served as Business Retention Specialist with Pflugerville Community Development Corporation. In 2004 she joined the Madisonville/Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation as Project Manager where she oversaw the business retention program and assisted in the recruitment of new and expanding industries. In 2006, Elizabeth moved to Texas to serve as Marketing and Research Coordinator in the Economic Development Department for the City of North Richland Hills. She has also served as the Office Manager for Congressman Ed Whitfield (KY-01) in Washington, D.C.

A native of Madisonville, KY, Elizabeth graduated from The University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations. She has completed the Kentucky Institute for Economic Development Course, and graduated from the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute. She has been active in the Kentucky Association for Economic Development, Texas Economic Development Council and the International Economic Development Council.

About Temple
Temple, Texas, is a community with a diverse economic base that includes healthcare, distribution and warehousing, and manufacturing as its foundation. Within 200 miles of a population of 19 million, Temple is in a strategic location that is central within the Southwest U.S. marketplace.