Mike Swesey, president & CEO of the St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corp., helps business leaders find, explore, and choose the Sunshine City as a place to relocate or expand their companies. He leads St. Pete’s efforts to attract employers that bring higher-paying jobs, innovation, and investment to the area.

Mike is an authentic and approachable leader with more than 30 years of economic development experience. Prior to joining the St. Pete EDC, he drove economic growth in a variety of roles at the Greater Des Moines Partnership in Des Moines, Iowa for more than two decades, most recently as executive vice president. He led 30 successful expansion/relocation projects each year, creating more than $1B in new capital investment. He has marketed the business advantages of that region to site selection consultants, corporate real estate executives, and a national network of business location influencers he has built.

Mike has a bachelor’s degree in city/urban, community, and regional planning from Iowa State University. His Midwestern roots position him well for St. Petersburg’s welcoming culture, and he is no stranger to the region, having visited family and friends here many times each year over the past 20 years.

Mike’s delighted to now be living in Paradise, where he enjoys golf, running and biking on our local trails, being close to the water, and experiencing the great restaurants, festivals, arts, and outdoor life of St. Pete. He revels in St. Pete's welcoming community, and particularly loves running into people he knows at Rays home games.

The St. Pete Economic Development Corp.’s business development & community relations representative Morgan Lazzara helps companies considering relocation to or expansion in St. Petersburg. She consults with executives, founders, and site selection consultants throughout the exploration and decision-making process, providing them with information about and connections to people, places, and programs in the Sunshine City.

Morgan also works with leaders at area companies that have invested in St. Pete’s future through the EDC to engage them in the EDC’s mission of bringing new jobs, innovation, and investment to the Sunshine City.

Prior to joining the EDC, Morgan served as relationship manager and sales & marketing specialist at one of the country's top experiential learning companies, where she generated, nurtured, and reinforced relationships with prospects and customers. Before that, she was an executive recruiter who sourced and recruited for executive level roles for the U.S., Canada, and India, and handled domestic and international relocations for both internal and external candidates. She received an MBA from Nova Southeastern University and a BS in Business Administration from Webber International University.

Morgan is a 4th generation Sunshine City native and is excited about being part of the St. Petersburg EDC mission—she’s followed the EDC since its founding because she’s passionate about St. Pete. A former softball player, Morgan spends time outdoors with her husband Steven and her son Noble (as the daughter of a boat captain, her perfect day is on the water).

Anne Core, vice president, marketing & communications for the St. Petersburg Economic Development Corp., designs and executes the St. Pete EDC’s marketing and communications initiatives to position St. Petersburg as a world class location for businesses and talent. She oversees the EDC's messaging, including website content, social media, advertising, and communications to prospects, Investors, and community stakeholders.

Anne's background is in helping organizations communicate.  Prior to joining the EDC, Anne served as marketing director at a strategic marketing consultancy and as director of marketing at a regional law firm outside Washington, DC. She also served as executive director of a local chamber of commerce and EVP of a tech trade association. Anne graduated cum laude from Georgetown University.

In addition to extolling the virtues of St. Petersburg as a fantastic place to live, work, and play, Anne loves walking near the water with her rescue dog, a Chihuahua-Pekingese mix named Furby, and reading on the beach at sunset.

Colleen Pimentel brings community members together as the St. Pete EDC’s operations and events coordinator. She coordinates the EDC’s leadership activities, assists with event planning and presentations, and keeps the office organized.

Colleen brings a strong background in operations and events, most recently at The Birchwood, where she served in admin and event sales. There she developed workflows, resolved guest payment issues, and helped people and organizations book events. She brings a hospitality-oriented mindset to her work at the EDC. She received a BA in interdisciplinary social sciences from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg with focuses in economics and environmental policy.

Colleen is a Florida native who’s lived in the Sunshine City for the past decade. She loves sharing her passion for St. Pete with people considering relocation. On the weekends, she enjoys strolling through the city’s many local markets like Indie Flea and Mezzo Market to find new makers—5801 Print House is her current favorite. After combing their wares, she strings up a hammock at Vinoy Park and curls up with a good book, though she usually ends up gazing at passing sailboats and pelicans more than she reads.