Abilene Times

The Abilene Industrial Foundation (AIF) has named Helen Usera its new director of business retention and expansion and Brent Schroeder its director of emerging business.

“The AIF is now poised to ensure our community’s economic development engine is firing on all cylinders and that the talent is in place to advance economic opportunity for Abilene and our surrounding area,” Chairman Gary Grubbs said in a news release on the Abilene Chamber of Commerce website.

Usera joins AIF, an affiliate of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, following work as an Air Force Global Strike Command civic leader and involvement with an economic development partnership in South Dakota. Schroeder is an Abilene Christian University graduate who has a background in sports marketing and business partnerships.

“I want to think those leaders within the Chamber and AIF for participating in the selection process,” Abilene Chamber CEO and AIF President Doug Peters said. “It is because of their hard work we are able to add the caliber of talent that both Helen and Brent bring to the organization.”