Wayne Schell

President & CEO

On September 18, 2006 Wayne Schell received the Chairman's Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) at their Annual Conference in New York. As CALED's President/CEO, Wayne works with a statewide Board of Directors to shape programs and services. Wayne is very active nationally and internationally, giving California economic development a broad presence.

Wayne grew up and graduated from Law School in North Dakota. When he first came to California, he was an Assistant in Governor Ronald Regan's Office of Intergovernmental Management. Then, for almost a decade, Wayne was Director of the California Office of Local Economic Development. During that time, Wayne helped write the legislation that established a state role in economic development as well as conducted extensive training provided technical assistance teams who designed local ED strategies, and helped set up many of the state's network of economic development organizations. Wayne also served as the interim Director of the State Department of Economic and Business Development. Wayne also owned and operated his own consulting firm, Economic Development Services. EDS specialized in economic development strategies, financing, community consensus-building, marketing, and organizational development.

Wayne was a founder and original Board member of CALED. He became President and CEO in 1990. In 2000, he received the Golden Bear Award - California's highest economic developer honor. He also serves as a Board member and officer of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and has been selected as a fellow member of IEDC for his significant contributions to the profession and practice of economic development nationally and internationally.

Many know Wayne as the cowboy of local economic development not only because of his cattle-ranching experiences in Wyoming, but also his pioneering spirit. It is no wonder that he has successfully lead CALED for many years. Assemblymember Juan Arambula in March of 2006 captured Wayne best when he said that, "Wayne is someone who says what he thinks is right and thinks what he says is right!"