Reenders Moves to Direct Santa Ana Agency

SANTA ANA, CA—Kelly Reenders, recognized as one of GlobeSt.com's sister publication Real Estate Forum's “2014 Fifty Under 40,” has relocated here to work as executive director  for the Community Development Agency for the City of Santa Ana. Reenders was previously economic development agency administrator for the County of San Bernardino.

In her new capacity, Reenders works in partnership with other City departments focused on development and quality-of-life activities. She oversees a budget of $65.5 million and an agency with 59 full-time professional, technical and support-level employees dedicated to developing and administering programs using various funding sources including federal and state grants. Reenders receives generous support from the deputy city manager, city manager and the city council.

When nominated for Forum's list, Reenders oversaw three key San Bernardino County departments encompassing 165 employees. Agency departments include workforce development, community development and economic development. A standout leader, in the two years she served in her position there, Reenders facilitated the successful renewal of existing commercial real estate leases and provided services to assist in expanding or relocating 152 businesses as of mid-2014 to the county, resulting in an estimated 4,038 jobs retained. She also successfully fostered new and existing relationships with commercial real estate brokers, site selectors and businesses to help them make informed business decisions to support their growth and development projects and to ensure that company operations ran as smoothly as possible. She helped solve complex logistics challenges for companies who are industrial users, including working with the Port of Los Angeles and the railroads to support the regional economy beyond the county's borders. By solving these challenges, the success of industrial real estate development and industrial users is realized.

Reenders also worked to create a partnership with Los Angeles ports, universities and the County of Riverside to promote successful economic development, enhancing international investment, stimulating job creation and increasing job retention as part of the State of California's Innovation Hubs program. Her effort will help maximize opportunities within the transportation corridor linking the Los Angeles Port with the Inland Southern California region, stimulating economic development.

Reenders recently received the CORNET Global Master of Corporate Real Estate designation, which provides essential skills that focus on critical business issues and the mission of the CRE organization in relation to corporate goals. The designation communicates special competence and successful experience as a corporate real estate export and has contributed to the professionalism of CRE, and is key for service providers, end users and economic developers at all levels.