Over the past few months, there have been some internal staffing changes for long-standing members of the SCVEDC. Our prior Director of Business Assistance for 7 years, Sue Arellano, retired back in May and was replaced by Dr. Jey Wagner. This September also saw our previous President and CEO Holly Schroeder making her own career transition after leading the SCVEDC for over 10 years. With Dr. Wagner taking over the President and CEO role for Holly, we are pleased to announce that veteran economic developer Ondré Seltzer will be taking over Wagner’s prior role as VP of Workforce and Economic Development.
Mr. Seltzer joins the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation, following his groundbreaking work as the Economic Development Manager for Falcon Field Airport. His achievements include attracting domestic and international businesses, facilitating the development of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) infrastructure, establishing a 63-acre tech center, negotiating over $300 million in new investments, transforming Falcon Field Airport into the second busiest general aviation airport in the United States. In addition to his role at Falcon Field Airport, he served as a member of the steering committee for Tech London Advocates.
“The SCVEDC is excited to welcome Ondre to our team and the community,” said Dr. Jey Wagner, President & and CEO. “He brings a wealth of experience in corporate business development, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and government relations, offering invaluable support to global companies exploring expansion opportunities across a diverse range of industries, including Semiconductors, Renewable Energy, FinTech, Manufacturing, Aerospace, and Infrastructure, among others. His expertise will be crucial in continuing the great work the SCVEDC has planned for Santa Clarita”. With over a decade of expertise in Economic Development, he previously served as the Vice President of International Business Development at the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA). During his tenure, he actively promoted the state's business environment and other advantages to global companies seeking to reshore complex global supply chains.
Prior to this role, Mr. Seltzer held the position of Vice Consul at the British Consulate-General in Los Angeles, representing the UK's Department for International Trade (DIT) as part of the West Coast technology team. In this capacity, he identified trade and investment opportunities for both UK and U.S.-based Fortune 1000 companies. With a background in local economic development and international investment, Mr. Seltzer has contributed to projects across various regions, states, and countries including Europe, Asia, Israel, California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. During this time, his collaboration with senior diplomatic and business leaders resulted in the successful realization of high-value projects exceeding $1 billion in value.
Mr. Seltzer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Media Business with a minor in Sociology from the University of Arizona. He has also completed coursework with prestigious institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the American Management Association (AMA), and Dartmouth College.
Contact Ondré
Email: ondreseltzer@scvedc.org
Office: 661.288.4411
The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corp. is a unique private/public partnership representing the united effort of regional industry and government leaders. The SCVEDC utilizes an integrated approach to attracting, retaining, and expanding a diversity of businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley, especially those in key industry clusters, by offering competitive business services and other resources. For more information, visit SCVEDC.org.