Evansville, Ind. ( September 28, 2023) – The Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP) is pleased to announce the appointment of Lloyd Winnecke as its next Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Tara Barney, who is retiring in 2024. Winnecke’s appointment was unanimously approved by the E-REP executive committee and is set to take effect in January 2024.
With a distinguished career in public service and a strong record of economic development, Winnecke is uniquely positioned to lead E-REP into the next era of economic growth and innovation. He brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to community development and the prosperity of the Evansville region.
“Lloyd’s proven leadership and dedication to not only Evansville but the entire region makes him the ideal choice to carry on the unbelievable work of Tara and E-REP,” said Curt Begle, chair of E-REP and president of Health, Hygiene, & Specialties at Berry Global. “As we look to the future, we are confident that Lloyd’s expertise will build upon the high value E-REP has created and will continue that trajectory.”
Barney, who has served as the CEO of E-REP and its predecessor organization for nearly six years, led the strategic merger of six organizations now under the E-REP umbrella. Since serving as CEO, Barney has been awarded several prestigious leadership awards including 2023 Women of Distinction by the Girl Scouts of Southwest Indiana and the 2021 Woman of Empowerment Award from the Junior League of Evansville. She has also been recognized as one of Indiana’s top 250 most influential business leaders. She will continue to lead the organization until her retirement, ensuring a seamless transition of leadership.
“It has been an honor of a lifetime to lead the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership and work in an industry I love,” said Barney. “Lloyd is the right leader to continue the important work of moving the Evansville region forward and has been part of implementing E-REP’s strategic plan from its inception. He knows this work, and I am confident he will take E-REP and this region to the next level.”
During his 12 years as mayor, Winnecke has been in the center of many collaborative projects which are improving the quality of life in Indiana’s third largest city. From the interchange at the Lloyd Expressway and U.S. 41, to the Deaconess Aquatic Center, to the Kinney Family Penguins of Patagonia exhibit at Mesker Park Zoo, Lloyd has helped align public and private sector priorities for the betterment of the region.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as the CEO of the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership. I look forward to working closely with the dedicated E-REP team and our community partners to further our mission of driving economic growth and prosperity for the Evansville region,” Winnecke said. “Tara has set a high standard, and I am committed to building on her legacy and taking our region to new heights.”
Winnecke grew up on the northside of Evansville, attended Central High School and graduated from the University of Evansville with a degree in Communications. He spent 18 years in television news, 13 years in corporate communications at Fifth Third Bank and 12 years as mayor. He and his wife, Carol McClintock, are very active in the community and spend many, many nights attending benefits for non-profit organizations. They are huge cheerleaders for the community. Winnecke’s first official day as E-REP CEO is January 8, 2024.
Barney announced her retirement in earlier this year and a search committee was formed to conduct a nation-wide search. The search committee was led by Vice Chair Beth McFadin Higgins of McFadin Higgins and Folz, LLP and Vice Chair Christine Keck, Vice President of National Government and Regulatory Affairs, American Water.
“We were impressed with the quality of candidates and interest in our region from across the country as far as Texas. It shows we are making a name for ourselves in the Evansville region and are excited to have found hometown talent that will continue to lead this work forward,” said Begle.
###
About the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership The Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP) leads economic development efforts for the Evansville, Indiana region and elevates the overall quality of life through transformational projects, planning, advocacy, and business engagement. Additionally, E-REP supports the attraction, startup, and growth of regional businesses