City-county board gets new leader

Jason Edmonds is the new chairman of the Lawrence-Douglas County Economic Development Board, a 10-member group charged with charting a course for business expansion and attraction and advising city and county governments on such issues.

“We’re very excited : to put forth a can-do attitude not only to the state, but through KCADC (Kansas City Area Development Council) and site selectors everywhere that Lawrence is interested in attracting quality economic-development projects,” said Edmonds, who serves as chairman because of his appointment as the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce’s vice chairman for economic development.

Edmonds takes over as the group’s chairman for Mike Maddox, who left the board earlier this year upon expiration of his term on the chamber’s board of directors. Maddox also is moving to Johnson County to be closer to his office with Intrust Bank, where he works in Prairie Village as the bank’s president for its northeast Kansas region.

Edmonds is a vice president and financial adviser for Morgan Stanley in Lawrence.

The board has not met since last year. Its next meeting could come in the next month.