Fort Worth Chamber’s top economic development exec steps down
David Berzina, who led economic development efforts at the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce for more than a decade, stepped down Thursday to pursue another opportunity.
Berzina, executive vice president of economic development, was instrumental in helping the city land big projects like the $1.2 billion Facebook data center in far north Fort Worth.
In an interview, Berzina said he was pursuing another job but declined to provide specifics “until it is sewed up.” He said it was “not fair to be concentrating on another opportunity” while still working for the chamber.
“It’s a great organization and I had a great run,” Berzina said, adding that he has never worked anywhere else longer than five years. “It was a tough decision to make.”
Bill Thornton, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, praised Berzina’s efforts that led to relocations and expansions by several Fortune 500 companies including General Electric, Whirlpool Corp and American Airlines.
“We want to thank David for his many years of service to the Fort Worth Chamber and community,” Thornton said in a prepared statement “We wish him well in his future endeavors.”
Berzina’s work resulted in millions of square feet in new construction and billions in capital investment and annual payroll, Thornton said.
Berzina joined the Fort Worth chamber in 2004 after working as senior vice president for economic development at the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce.
During his tenure, Site Selection magazine in 2013 and 2016 recognized the Fort Worth Chamber as one of the nation’s “Top 10” economic development organizations in the country, and the magazine cited the chamber seven times in the past 12 years.
In 2011, one of his best years, Berzina oversaw 14 economic development projects in Fort Worth that brought $517.6 million in new capital investment and 7,000 jobs.
More recently, he was instrumental in attracting Farmer Bros. Coffee, PennyMac Financial Services and Smith & Nephew.
Max B. Baker: 817-390-7714, @MaxbakerBB
This story was originally published August 25, 2016 at 6:59 PM with the headline "Fort Worth Chamber’s top economic development exec steps down."