Manassas, VA – October 19, 2023 – The City of Manassas has named Tia W. Nelson its new Assistant Director of Economic Development. She will be responsible for marketing Manassas as a community of choice for businesses as well as assisting existing employers with their growth in the City.
Ms. Nelson brings nearly two decades of economic development experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. After receiving a BA in Psychology from Clemson University, she spent two years on Capitol Hill as an Alexandria, Virginia resident before earning an MA in Urban and Regional Planning with a certificate in economic development from Virginia Tech.
Upon graduation she returned to her home state of South Carolina and spent eight years of progressive experience as franchise consultant, marketing director, general manager, and eventually co-owner of SERVPRO of Cayce/West Columbia and Lexington. She helped the franchise double volume and grow 17% in profitability through streamlined leadership practices and enhanced community engagement, including serving on several economic development and workforce boards. Her startup spinoff publication, Midlands Anchor, published hundreds of thought pieces, video interviews, and podcasts highlighting leading innovators, entrepreneurs, and community leaders in South Carolina and beyond.
She formally returned to the economic development field as innovation program manager and later business intelligence manager at South Carolina Department of Commerce where she researched, authored, and published the state’s third innovation plan connecting entrepreneurs to funding, commercialization, and other resources essential for globally competitive products and R&D.
In 2022, Ms. Nelson moved back to Northern Virginia. She most recently served as senior program manager at Rosslyn-based Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness where she helped build robust ecosystem toolkits, facilitation guides, and economic development strategies on behalf of federal clients like EDA, ARC, and U.S. Treasury.
Ms. Nelson has enjoyed rediscovering the richness of the Commonwealth with her husband, daughter, and 80-pound Bernedoodle. They frequently explore the many state parks, art galleries, and wineries in and around Manassas, as well as sneak in time for snow skiing, hiking, and visits to the family farm in North Dakota.
Connect with Tia on LinkedIn or email her at tnelson@manassasva.gov.
About the City of Manassas Department of Economic Development
The City of Manassas fosters economic development through collaborative partnerships, sustainable fiscal management and supportive City services. The Department of Economic Development (DED) is directly responsible for business attraction, retention, expansion and tourism initiatives in the City. As a resourceful and collaborative organization, we work in partnership with our key stakeholders to ensure that we have what businesses need; including a highly educated and technical workforce with access to major universities and first-class training providers. We take an active leadership role in all that we do, serving as a community builder, collaborator and agent of economic growth. For help with your business needs please visit: https://choosemanassas.org/ or call 703.257.8882.
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