Santa Barbara appoints first Economic Development Manager

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Santa Barbara City Administrator Paul Casey announced the appointment of Jason Harris as the City’s first Economic Development Manager on Monday. 

As Economic Development Manager, Harris will oversee the development and implementation of the City’s economic development program and related functions and goals.

Harris will begin his duties in Santa Barbara at the end of March.

Harris is currently the Economic Development Manager for the City of Santa Monica where he oversees a division with fourteen staff members and works with a budget of $5.5 million.

His current responsibilities include the oversight of four Business Improvement Districts, four weekly farmers markets, two tourism marketing organizations, the Santa Monica Pier operations and over 160 leases/licenses for the city.

Harris currently lives in Santa Monica with his partner Candice and their two children. He and his family will be relocating to the central coast this summer.

According to City Administrator Paul Casey, “Jason’s more than twenty years of economic development experience will prove invaluable as we launch the city’s new economic development program.”