Long-time PIDC leader to move on to new opportunities later this year and organization will search for a new president

PHILADELPHIA — Mayor Jim Kenney and the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia President and CEO Rob Wonderling announced today that Anne Bovaird Nevins, long-time senior leader and President of PIDC, will be transitioning after 15 years with the organization, most recently serving as President and leading PIDC through the pandemic. PIDC is Philadelphia’s official economic development corporation, founded by the City and Chamber of Commerce more than 60 years ago with the mission to spur investment, support business growth, and foster developments that create jobs, revitalize neighborhoods, and drive inclusive growth to every corner of Philadelphia.

“It has been the highest honor of my career to serve PIDC and Philadelphia over the past fifteen years, and especially leading the organization as President,” said Anne Bovaird Nevins. “I’m so proud of what our team has accomplished, including providing critical funding to Philadelphia’s small business and non-profit community through the unprecedented economic crisis brought on by the pandemic. At the same time, we have made tremendous progress in advancing long-term projects and initiatives that will drive future job growth, wealth creation, and economic impact across the city. PIDC has strong Board leadership and a deep, diverse, and talented staff committed to inclusive economic growth, and I know they will continue to deliver for Philadelphia.”

Having joined PIDC in 2007, Nevins was appointed President in January 2020 and was integral to the efforts to respond to the pandemic, restart the economic momentum of our city, and position Philadelphia to recharge and reimagine the city’s economic future. Under her leadership, PIDC has deployed over $71 million in COVID-19 relief to more than 5,200 small businesses – serving more businesses over these past two years than the organization had in the prior 40 years. Over 65% of the COVID-19 small business relief dollars through PIDC have gone to minority-owned enterprises. Nevins was instrumental in structuring new programs with government partners such as the City of Philadelphia Commerce Department and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as supporting new partnerships such as the Pennsylvania CDFI Network.

Nevins also ensured that PIDC advanced critical, long-term priorities to drive equitable and inclusive economic growth in Philadelphia. During her tenure, PIDC invested more than $32 million in 16 commercial and mixed-use projects led by developers of color throughout Philadelphia. Nevins also oversaw the selection of Ensemble/Mosaic as the new development partner for 109 acres at the Navy Yard, which will deliver $2.5 billion of investment, more than 4.5 million square feet of commercial and retail development, more than 4,000 units of residential development, and represents an unprecedented commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Under Nevins’ leadership, PIDC recently announced the search for a new development partner for the Lower Schuylkill Biotech Campus. This is a historic opportunity to develop 40 riverfront acres in Southwest Philadelphia and represents the culmination of more than a decade of planning, land assemblage, and engagement with the Kingsessing community to catalyze inclusive economic growth.

“Through periods of prosperity and immense challenge over the past 15 years, Anne has been a critical advocate working to drive economic growth throughout every neighborhood in Philadelphia and I’m incredibly grateful for her service at PIDC, including her last two years as President,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “With her passion and ingenuity, Anne has helped lead the talented PIDC team working to deliver resources to businesses and spur development projects, which will have a lasting and positive impact for years to come. Her leadership and partnership, especially working with our Department of Commerce to provide relief to small businesses impacted during the height of the pandemic, is something for which I will forever be thankful. I wish her well in her next endeavor.”

Susan Jacobson, president of Jacobson Strategic Communications and chair of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia noted that Nevins’ tremendous impact at PIDC has been distinguished as Chief Strategy and Communications Officer and more recently as President. She said Nevins’ track record of expanding opportunities for small, Black and brown-owned businesses throughout the pandemic has helped build and grow enterprises throughout Philadelphia.

“From the Navy Yard to the Lower Schuylkill and ensuring economic growth is more inclusive and diverse, Anne’s fingerprints are on so many major projects and initiatives that have enhanced Philadelphia’s competitiveness,” said Susan Jacobson, chair of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. “PIDC and the City are better for her leadership.”

Prior to her appointment as President in January of 2020, Nevins served as PIDC’s Chief Strategy and Communications Officer, a key member of the executive team where she oversaw capitalization, product development, strategic communications, and partnerships. Prior to this role, Nevins served as PIDC’s Senior Vice President for Marketing and Business Development for six years where she led a team that transformed PIDC’s brand identity, developed new lending products, and generated loans to small, diverse, and growing businesses. Nevins currently serves as co-chair of the Racism and Economic Development Committee of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), co-managed Philadelphia’s Amazon HQ2 bid, and created and led PIDC and ULI Philadelphia’s partnership advisory committee on the future of work and its impact on industrial and commercial land. Nevins will continue with the organization through the end of 2022 engaged in the search and transition process.

“Anne has been an outstanding transformational leader for PIDC during a particularly challenging time for Philadelphia,” said Sal Patti, Senior Vice President at WSFS Bank and Chair of the PIDC Board of Directors. “We are grateful to Anne for her commitment and leadership. PIDC has taken on an important leadership role in an equitable economic recovery for Philadelphia, and this will continue as we move forward with a transition.”

Sal Patti will lead the process to identify a new President to continue the high-impact work of PIDC and advance the organization’s strategies, resources, and capabilities. That process will be guided by an Executive Committee-level Selection Committee and will be supported by a professional executive search firm. As a first step in the process, PIDC will solicit proposals for a search firm through a public posting shortly.

About PIDC

PIDC is Philadelphia’s city-wide, public-private economic development corporation. A non-profit founded in 1958 as a partnership of the City of Philadelphia and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, PIDC’s mission is to spur investment, support business growth, and foster developments that create jobs, revitalize neighborhoods, and drive growth to every corner of Philadelphia. Over the past 64 years, PIDC has settled over 13,000 transactions with a diverse range of clients – including more than $18.5 billion of financing and 3,350 acres of land sales – which have leveraged more than $45 billion in total investment and assisted in retaining and creating hundreds of thousands of jobs in Philadelphia.

For more information about PIDC, visit PIDCphila.com and follow @PIDCphila on Twitter.