The Kansas Commerce Department on Tuesday beefed up its economic development staff with two new hirings to help lead the agency.
Commerce Secretary David Toland on Tuesday named William Murphy to be the new deputy secretary for business development.
Toland also named Kayla Savage to oversee the newly established Community Development Division.
Murphy now serves as senior vice president of economic development for the Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
He previously worked as executive vice president of economic development for the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce.
He also was the assistant city manager and economic development director of Piqua, Ohio and served as director of the Regional Business Information Center for the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce.
In his new role in Kansas, Murphy will direct efforts to drive the growth of existing businesses throughout the state and recruit new businesses.
He will oversee the agency’s business, community and international development divisions, as well as the bioscience/technology, marketing and communications divisions.
As director of the department’s Community Development Division, Savage will oversee the Community Development Block Grant program, the Community Service Tax Credit program, Rural Opportunity Zones and Kansas Main Street.
Savage previously was program coordinator and assistant director for the community education unit of Global Campus at Kansas State University.
Savage previously worked as executive director of the Main Street program in Emporia.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and public relations from Emporia State University and a master’s in community development from Kansas State.
