Pensacola Appoints Economic Development Director

The City of Pensacola hired Steve Baham as Economic Development Director and Joel Holmes as Assistant Parks and Recreation Director, the city announced June 9.

Baham will lead the Economic Development Department and Community Redevelopment Agency. He comes from Citis County, Florida, where he directed economic development efforts including business recruitment and tax base growth. Before that, he spent nearly 15 years with Louisiana Economic Development in leadership roles. He holds an MBA and bachelor's degree in finance from Southeastern Louisiana University and is a Certified Economic Developer.

Holmes joins from the Bainbridge-Decatur County Recreation Authority in Georgia, where he served as executive director for five years. He previously spent seven years as director of recreation and parks in Albany, Georgia, supervising 32 employees. He earned a bachelor's degree in sport management from Georgia Southern University and holds certification as a Parks and Recreation Executive through the National Recreation and Parks Association.

Mayor D.C. Reeves said both appointments support the city's strategic goals. "Steve and Joel bring focused leadership that will advance our city-wide objectives and tie our work to measurable results," Reeves said.

Baham reports to Associate City Administrator Cliff Collins. Holmes reports to Parks and Recreation Director Tonya Byrd.