Sidney city manager wins state award

Sidney City Manager and Economic Development Director Gary Person was named the 2014 Nebraska Economic Developers Association Professional of the Year in the community/county category.

The award was presented by NEDA, the largest association of economic development professionals in Nebraska, at its Fall Conference in Columbus.

“Gary exemplifies exceptional leadership in economic development,” said Jennifer Wolf, president of the Nebraska Economic Developers Association. “He has been able to accomplish some astounding things in Sidney, and NEDA is very pleased to present him with this honor.”

Person has served as Sidney’s city manager since 1999 and city/county economic development director since 1991. He has divided his time between the dual responsibilities that has resulted in the city’s increase in valuation from $131 million to $430 million and the county’s from $430 million to $1.2 billion with a 35 percent job growth. At the invitation of U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns Person testified before the U.S. Senate’s Ag Sub Committee on the challenges of rural economic development. As a result several Congressional representatives have reached out to Person to better understand rural economic strategies and rebuilding of economies.

“The extraordinary growth of and development of the city of Sidney and Cheyenne County would not have been possible without Gary’s vision and dedication” said Starr Lehl, Business Development Consultant with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

In the past months, Sidney has attracted Dell Pole and Lumber Manufacturing Co. with a $25 million facility and 35 new jobs. Adams Industries is completing a new rail logistics industrial park and embarking on a $12 million expansion and job growth. Cabela’s completed a redevelopment project in downtown Sidney that will add 200 employees. Cabela’s also broke ground for a $34 million expansion project at I-80 substantially increasing the size of their existing headquarters. TE Connectivity, the manufacture of copper wire components in the telecommunications industry expanded. A $3 million new Holiday Inn Express, $4 million Fairfield Inn and Love’s Truck Stop are being built. Additional housing and $16 million of new street projects are being added. Numerous smaller projects are underway.

“Gary has been a mentor to me for many years,” said Megan McGown, Sidney’s community development director. “Gary lives and breathes economic development. He does not relish the spot light and does not want a pat on the back, just simply loves his community and loves what he does which, is ‘get er done.’ ”

Person holds an associates degree from Nebraska Western College and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Besides his roles with the city and county, he has served as the manager of the Cheyenne County Chamber of Commerce, director of Western Office of Nebraska Governor Orr and news editor of The Sidney Sun-Telegraph.

His background includes president the Nebraska Jaycees, president in 1996 of the Nebraska Economic Developers Association and since served on numerous boards and committees with 15 years on the legislative committee for the Nebraska League of Municipalities as well as serving in the role of past president for two years on the executive board of the Nebraska City Manager’s Association.

Because of Person and the community’s work, Jack Schultz, national economist, labeled Sidney as “One of Americas’ Top 100 rural communities under 50,000 population.”

Success has brought Sidney front page coverage in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Denver Post, Omaha World-Herald, Lincoln Journal Star and Nebraska Life Magazine.

Person was quoted as saying, “You are either growing or your dying – nothing ever stays the same. Unless you are big enough to change the times, you better be willing to change with the times.”