Kyle Erickson named new President and CEO of Itasca Economic Development Corporation
Pierson Henry, a rural-focused search firm based in Minnesota, is thrilled to announce the naming of Kyle Erickson as the new President and CEO of Itasca Economic Development Corporation. Congratulations to Kyle and the IEDC Board of Directors on this exciting nonprofit leadership transition.
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IEDC welcomes Kyle Erickson to serve as its new President and CEO. Erickson is an executive leader with more than 15 years of experience advancing economic development, workforce initiatives, and manufacturing operations across northern Minnesota. Known for his ability to bring organizations and stakeholders together, he has built a career leading complex teams, aligning missions with financial performance, and driving sustainable growth in both nonprofit and private-sector environments.
Erickson began his career in regional economic development with the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA), where he managed workforce development initiatives and supervised the Virginia Workforce Center. In that role, he led work experience programs in partnership with technical colleges and community organizations, including initiatives designed to address workforce disparities and expand employment opportunities across the region.
Erickson served as Executive Director of Deer River Hired Hands as well as General Manager of Minnesota Diversified Industries (MDI), a nonprofit manufacturer. In addition to his professional leadership, Erickson has served as an adjunct faculty member, collegiate head coach at Minnesota North College-Itasca and community board member, reflecting his deep commitment to leadership development, education, and regional growth.
Throughout his career, Erickson has earned a reputation as a collaborative, mission-driven executive who communicates effectively, builds trust across diverse stakeholders, and unites people around shared economic and community outcomes.
IEDC Board Chair Brad Dolinski welcomed Erickson to his new role in February, expressing gratitude to IEDC stakeholders: “I would like to thank our community members that helped us reshape the future of IEDC through our strategic planning work. Our board is very excited to announce our new leadership with this strategic plan in hand. We were extremely happy with the slate of candidates we had to choose from, so this was not an easy decision. Thank you to everyone that has been involved, the future is bright at the IEDC.”
The rural-focused search was led by Pierson Henry Executive Search Firm. If you or your board are in the process of nonprofit succession planning, consider partnering with our team of professionals. We excel at finding rural leaders who align with the culture, values, and rhythms of an organization. Call (715)580-0479 or send an email at your convenience to info@piersonhenry.com to hear more about our approach and how Pierson Henry supports organizations and candidates through the entire rural-focused search journey.