Copperas Cove EDC selects Fred Welch as new Executive Director 

Special to the Leader-Press

COPPERAS COVE, TEXAS (January 27, 2022) – The Copperas Cove Economic Development Corporation (CCEDC) has selected Fred Welch to be its new executive director. 

Johnson & Associates (J&A), a government executive search firm based in Austin, Texas conducted the nationwide executive director search. J&A’s recruitment and vetting process produced an impressive number of highly qualified candidates. Final candidates interviewed with the Board of Directors of the CCEDC on January 20, 2022, and Mr. Welch was selected for the position, with a proposed start date of February 28, 2022.

Fred Welch has been involved in economic development close to 30 years in Texas. Most recently he has served The Greater Houston Partnership as Senior Director for Economic Development. Previous positions include The Economic Alliance for the Houston Port Region, and The Greater Conroe Economic Development Council. From 2010 until 2014 Welch served the Houston region as Vice President for regional economic development with The Greater Houston Partnership (GHP). While at GHP, Fred and his team were a part of one of the most dynamic periods of jobs growth and capital investment in Houston and Texas leading the nation in job growth and investment three out of four years. Fred is well respected both regionally and nationally. In addition to his time with GHP, he previously served as Vice President, Marketing and Recruitment for the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce and in Type A and B sales tax cities of Pearland and LaMarque. Fred is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) through the International Economic Development Council and a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP) through the National Development Council. In 2017 he  served as  Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Texas Economic Development Council. 

Mr. Welch is a Midwest native who has lived and worked in the Houston area since 1980. He earned a B.B.A. from Monmouth College in Monmouth, Ill. and an M.B.A. from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. A retired Colonel from the US Army, Fred and his wife Susan will be relocating to Copperas Cove, where they will be joining family who currently reside here. They are excited to be a part of Copperas Cove and the Central Texas region.

Both the Board of Directors and the staff of the Copperas Cove EDC are excited for Mr. Welch to be here and look forward to collaborating with him.