After nearly two years of uncertainty surrounding economic development in Scioto County, county leaders say they’re finally ready to move forward.
The Scioto County Development Corporation (SCDC) has announced the hiring of Tiffany Lemaster as its new Economic Development Director, filling one of the county’s most important leadership positions after months of rebuilding following the corruption scandal involving former Economic Development Director Robert Horton.
Since Horton’s indictment, Scioto County has been working to reshape how economic development is handled.
County commissioners created the nonprofit Scioto County Development Corporation last year, promising a more transparent approach to recruiting businesses and managing development projects. In recent months, commissioners have repeatedly said hiring a permanent director was one of their top priorities as major projects—including Google’s proposed Franklin Furnace data center—continue moving forward.
Now, they say that search is over.
Lemaster comes to Scioto County after working in Ross County, where she helped oversee business expansion, business retention, infrastructure planning, and community development projects.
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome Tiffany Lemaster to SCDC,” said SCDC Board Chairman Justin Clark. “She is a well-regarded economic development professional with a strong record of success, and she brings a deep understanding of the communities that make up our region.”
Clark said Lemaster’s experience and Southern Ohio roots make her a strong fit for a county that is beginning to see opportunities unlike anything it has experienced in decades.
“With the momentum building in Scioto County, her leadership arrives at exactly the right time to help move our county forward,” Clark said.
Lemaster said she sees economic development as a collaborative effort involving businesses, local governments, and community partners.
“Economic development is strongest when communities work together,” she said. “I am excited to join SCDC and collaborate with businesses, local governments, and regional partners to advance opportunities that benefit Scioto County and Southern Ohio as a whole.”
The timing comes as Scioto County finds itself in the middle of an unprecedented wave of economic activity.
Google continues planning its proposed Project Dazzler data center in Franklin Furnace. A massive technology campus is also planned at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon. Other industrial projects continue to emerge across Southern Ohio and neighboring northeastern Kentucky, placing Scioto County in the middle of what many officials describe as a once-in-a-generation opportunity for regional growth.
Commissioners have repeatedly said the county needs experienced leadership to ensure those opportunities translate into long-term jobs and investment for local residents.
The Scioto County Development Corporation was created specifically to separate day-to-day economic development efforts from county government while emphasizing transparency and accountability following the public corruption investigation that disrupted the county’s previous economic development structure.
Lemaster will now be responsible for leading those efforts by supporting existing businesses, recruiting new employers, pursuing development opportunities, and building partnerships throughout Scioto County.
After months of uncertainty, county leaders hope the hiring signals that Scioto County’s economic development efforts are entering a new chapter—one focused less on scandal and more on the opportunities ahead.