Maureen Hammond, vice president of the Norman Economic Development Coalition, has been selected by the NEDC board of directors to serve as interim president and CEO.

NEDC President and CEO Jason Smith informed the NEDC board of directors in January that he had accepted a position as president and CEO of the Manhattan, Kansas, Chamber of Commerce. Smith has served as president and CEO of NEDC since 2015.

Hammond joined NEDC in 2003. She most recently led the organization’s efforts to create Startup 405, a new business incubator program, as well as 1 Million Cups and the Innovation Challenge.

“We have every confidence that Maureen is the right person to serve in this role during the transition,” said NEDC Board Chairman Dan Quinn. “Maureen’s successful history with the organization has been consistent and documented. We must have someone in place to lead the organization and manage projects. We have every confidence that she will do a great job.”

Hammond has a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma and has completed the Economic Development Institute, a program of OU’s College of Continuing Education.

Quinn said the board was working on the long-term plan for staffing NEDC and would be meeting over the next few months with its partners to determine the path forward for the organization.

NEDC is a partnership of the city of Norman, the Norman Chamber of Commerce, the University of Oklahoma, and Moore Norman Technology Center.