The woman who has led the state’s economic development efforts for the past 14 years says she will stay in the role until Governor Kim Reynolds leaves office on January 12th of 2027.
Iowa Economic Development Authority Director Debi Durham is drawing up a to-do list for the next 13 months.
Durham intends to spend a lot of time on the road.
Durham had been president of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce for 17 years when Governor Terry Branstad appointed her to lead the Iowa Department of Economic Development in 2011. She oversaw its conversion to a public-private partnership and renamed as the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Reynolds appointed her to two more terms in the role and no other current state agency director has been in the job longer than Durham.
Durham has also been director of the Iowa Finance Authority since 2019. Reynolds fired the previous director after he was accused of sexual misconduct and set Durham to lead the agency, which provides grants and financing for first time homebuyers as well as for housing projects and drinking water systems.
