Marin Economic Forum Names Jim Cordeiro Chief Executive Officer

Written on June 27, 2016. Posted in In the News

For Immediate Release

Novato—June 7, 2016—The Marin Economic Forum (www.marineconomicforum.org) today announced the appointment of Jim Cordeiro as chief executive officer of the organization which provides data and information to help businesses and supports local governments economic development efforts for sustainable growth.

Before joining Marin Economic Forum (MEF), Cordeiro co-founded Oceana Technologies and worked as a leading scientist at Nodality, Affymetrix, and other biotechnology and academic organizations.

“Jim brings a diverse set of skills to us,” said Haden Ongaro, MEF board president and executive vice president of Newmark Cornish & Carey. “While unemployment remains low in the county, we face continuing challenges about how to attract new businesses and how to retain those who have already chosen Marin. Business development is driven by a constant need for data and trend analysis, particularly for businesses looking to expand or to relocate here. Jim’s background in the biotech industry and his entrepreneurial background are perfectly aligned with the Forum’s needs.”

Founded in 2012, MEF enables Marin’s economic stakeholders to collaborate to improve the County’s economic vitality, focusing on targeted industries while enhancing social equity and protecting the environment.

“Marin County is an important part of a regional and global economy,” Cordeiro said. “Our companies, particularly in the bio-sciences, have enormous influence beyond our area. As a result, our economy is also impacted by developments and pressures from many different directions. It is important that the businesses in our community have MEF, which collects, analyzes and disseminates information that affects their business and also collaborates with the communities in which their employees reside.”

MEF works with private sector companies, chambers of commerce, county and municipal governments, educational institutions and organizations supporting workforce employment and consumer groups. Industries targeted by MEF include agriculture, bio/life sciences, tourism and manufacturing.

“Over the years, MEF has developed a well-deserved reputation for the rigorous nature of its economic research and for its collaboration with Marin businesses and municipalities,” he said. “My experience in the sciences and technology fit nicely with the growth segments of Marin economy. We are constantly working to improve our ability to deliver timely data and information to businesses and local governments as they strive to support sustainable economic development.”

Cordeiro, a graduate of UC Santa Cruz, replaces Steve Lockett, who relocated to North Carolina.

About Marin Economic Forum

The Marin Economic Forum (www.marineconomicforum.org) is a nonprofit organization created as a public-private partnership in 2012. The founding sponsors are: Autodesk, Bank of America, City of Novato, County of Marin, Kaiser Permanente and Marin General Hospital. Additional information is available at (415) 483-9332.

Tags: Jim Cordeiro, Marin Economic Forum