For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Justin Salters, jsalters@
B3K Prosperity names Georgia Petropoulos as first President and CEO
Regional Council unanimously appoints organization’s first permanent leader after conducting nationwide search
BAKERSFIELD, CALIF. (Aug. 19, 2024) — B3K Prosperity today announced that Georgia Petropoulos has been unanimously selected by its Regional Council to serve as the organization’s first permanent, full-time President and CEO. Petropoulos’ first day will be Sep. 16, 2024.
Petropoulos joins B3K from the Oakland Business Improvement District (Oakland BID) in Pittsburgh, Penn., where she currently serves as CEO. Petropoulos joined Oakland BID in 2004 as Executive Director and was named CEO in 2021. At Oakland BID, Petropoulos has led transformative initiatives to enhance the district’s economic vitality and quality of life. Her visionary leadership and collaborative approach have earned her a reputation as a dynamic leader with a record of driving sustainable growth and innovation.
“We are thrilled to welcome Georgia Petropoulos as the first full-time CEO of B3K Prosperity,” said Greg Bielli, a member of the B3K Prosperity Regional Council and President and CEO of Tejon Ranch. “Her proven track record in economic development and commitment to inclusive engagement make her the ideal leader to join and lead our organization as we scale up implementation activities. Tejon Ranch has been a proud supporter of B3K and its vision since Day 1, and I’m confident that, under her leadership, B3K will continue to accelerate on our ability to implement strategies that attract investment to our region, helping us achieve our three desired outcomes: growth, prosperity and inclusion.”
“From our initial interviews with Georgia it was clear that she understood our vision to reduce the number of struggling families in the Bakersfield-Kern region, and that she was ready to take on the monumental task of putting our region on a trajectory of inclusive growth,” said Morgan Clayton, a member of the B3K Prosperity Executive Committee and Executive Chairman of Tel-Tec Security Systems. “Georgia’s background working with stakeholders ranging from some of the largest education and medical anchor institutions in the U.S. to small and micro-businesses give her a unique perspective that will be invaluable as we seek to grow our region’s traded sectors and also support diverse entrepreneurs and small business owners.”
“I am honored and excited to join B3K Prosperity as its first permanent CEO,” said Georgia Petropoulos. “The Bakersfield-Kern region is at a pivotal moment in its economic development journey, and I look forward to working with the talented team at B3K, our partners, and the broader community to build on the foundation that has been laid and chart our course towards a more prosperous and inclusive future. Together, we will grow our economy, create opportunities for all residents to access opportunity, and ensure that the Bakersfield-Kern County region is the best place in California to achieve the American Dream.”
Petropoulos will succeed Justin Salters, who has served as interim Executive Director since August 2024. During his tenure, B3K Prosperity has made significant strides in developing strategic partnerships, promoting workforce development, and attracting new investments to the region, including, among others, a $2 million partnership with the Griffiss Institute to launch an Aerospace Innovation Hub in East Kern. Salters will continue to serve on the B3K Prosperity team in a newly created role as Senior Advisor and Lead, Aerospace and Defense Cluster Strategies. In this role, Salters will provide counsel and support to Petropoulos, while leading the execution of an ambitious agenda to unlock the economic potential of East Kern’s federal innovation assets and grow a vertically integrated aerospace and defense cluster within the region.
“It has been an incredible honor to lead B3K in service to our community over the past twelve months,” said Salters. “At the same time, I could not be more excited to welcome Georgia to our team and pass the baton, enabling me to focus more intently on delivering on our aerospace and defense strategies.”
“I’m grateful to have Justin continue aboard as a member of our team at B3K and look forward to being a force multiplier to the excellent work he and our team have already accomplished thus far,” added Petropoulos.
B3K Prosperity’s Regional Council serves as its Board of Directors and is composed of a diverse group of thirteen leaders representing the Bakersfield-Kern region’s public, private and civic stakeholders, including Nick Ambrosini (President and CEO, Valley Strong Credit Union), Greg Bielli (President and CEO, Tejon Ranch), Janelle Capra (President and CEO, Greater Bakersfield Chamber), Morgan Clayton (Executive Chairman, Tel-Tec Security Systems), Christian Clegg (City Manager, City of Bakersfield), Jim Damian (Chief Economic Development Officer, Kern County), Bruce Davis (Executive Vice President, Bolthouse Properties), Brian Holt (Business Manager, IBEW Local 428), Ken Keller (President and CEO, Dignity Health Bakersfield Memorial Hospital), John Paul Lake (Managing Partner, Kern Venture Group), Traco Matthews (Chief Health Equity Officer, Kern Health Systems), Connie Perez-Andreesen, (Chief Administrative Officer and National Vice President, United Farm Workers) and Dr. Kristen Watson (Chief of Staff and Interim Dean, Extended Education and Global Outreach, CSUB).
Petropoulos was selected after an exhaustive nationwide search. The B3K Prosperity Regional Council was assisted in its search by recruiting firm Boyden Boston.
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ABOUT B3K
A Better Bakersfield and Boundless Kern (B3K) is the leading, region-wide inclusive economic development organization for the Bakersfield-Kern region. Our mission is to bring our region together to imagine, engineer, and build the next era of success, where all people prosper and businesses thrive. We’re committed to growing the number of Quality Jobs in our region by investing in traded sectors and improving our regional competitiveness. Learn more at b3kprosperity.org.
