Invest Greenville, a public-private partnership focused on promoting economic development in Greenville-Pitt County, has welcomed Bianca Shoneman as Vice President of Business Recruitment and Special Projects. Shoneman brings more than 20 years of experience in economic development, business recruitment, community development, and infrastructure investment across North Carolina.
“Greenville is a community I know, care about, and have had the privilege of helping grow in different capacities,” explained Shoneman. “What makes this role particularly exciting is the opportunity to focus directly on business recruitment while bringing with me an understanding of what makes a community competitive. There is tremendous momentum here, and I’m excited to be part of a team that is thinking intentionally about what comes next."
Shoneman will lead Invest Greenville’s business recruitment efforts to attract new investment, create jobs, support business growth, and advance economic development opportunities throughout Greenville-Pitt County. Her new role marks a return to a community where she previously spent seven years as the president and CEO of Uptown Greenville.
“Bianca brings an exceptional combination of economic development experience, statewide relationships, and a deep understanding of Greenville-Pitt County,” said Josh Lewis, president and CEO of Invest Greenville. “Her experience working across so many areas of economic development gives her a valuable perspective on what companies need to invest and grow. We are excited to welcome her to our team and know she will play an important role in building on the energy underway throughout our community.”
Shoneman most recently served as vice president of community development at the NC East Alliance, where she worked across a 29-county region. In addition to prior work at Uptown Greenville, she also served as CEO of the Cool Spring Downtown District in Fayetteville and held positions with the N.C. Department of Commerce, City of Washington, and The Duke Endowment’s Beaufort County Program for the Rural Carolinas, and as a Peace Corps Volunteer in rural El Salvador.
“My career has allowed me to approach economic development from a lot of different angles, including business recruitment, downtown development, infrastructure, workforce, community development, marketing, and regional economic development,” added Shoneman. “Recruiting a company is rarely about one thing. A successful project may require the right site, infrastructure, workforce pipeline, incentives, partnerships, and increasingly, a community where people genuinely want to live.”
Shoneman will also focus on strengthening relationships with site selectors, corporate decision-makers, and state and regional economic development partners while promoting Greenville-Pitt County’s strengths in industries including life sciences, advanced manufacturing, health care, education, and innovation.
“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to combine local knowledge with everything I’ve learned working throughout the region and use it to help Greenville-Pitt County compete for its next generation of investment,” said Shoneman.
Shoneman earned a master’s degree in Geography with a concentration in Rural Economic Development and a bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation Services from East Carolina University. She has also completed professional development programs through the UNC School of Government, the Rural Economic Development Institute, and Duke University. Her work has been recognized by the International Downtown Association, National Association of Development Organizations, and East Carolina University.
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Media Relations Contact:
Maria Satira
Vice President, Marketing and Talent Programming
Invest Greenville
satira@investgreenvillenc.com
252-414-2875
