Marla Hamilton

Marla Hamilton is a successful and proven Economic Development Professional with more than 25 years’ experience in economic development planning and implementation. With extensive public and private sector service, Marla has the demonstrated ability to identify business opportunities by enhancing policy development and creating partnerships that result in business and employment growth. Marla has worked collaboratively with entrepreneurs, small and medium sized businesses, developers, banks, and unions across a variety of industries including manufacturing, services, banking, and construction. As Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), Philadelphia’s economic development corporation, Marla managed its commercial business portfolio, identifying and working with owner-occupied businesses and partnering with banks and other lenders to structure financing packages that resulted in business attraction, retention and expansion, and permanent employment. As a PIDC Relationship Manager, Marla worked collaboratively with business owners to identify and solve operational deficiencies through business educational support systems to enhance management controls and lead to company growth. Drawing upon Marla’s vast expertise for assessing business needs and capacity-building, combined with PIDC’s commitment to business growth, PIDC tapped Marla to launch a new PIDC division, Client Engagement. As Director of this new division, Marla’s focus is increasing business capacity of PIDC clients across the size spectrum by assessing and diagnosing critical business needs and delivering practical business solutions. Through this strategy Marla utilizes a multitude of mediums including the development of the Business Builder Workshop series, and recently introduced the PIDC Executive Leadership Series. Prior to joining PIDC, Marla served as Special Assistant to former Mayor John F. Street and in the Administrations of former Mayors W. Wilson Goode and Edward G. Rendell as the Director of the City of Philadelphia Minority Business Enterprise Council, the predecessor agency to the Office of Economic Opportunity. In these respective capacities Marla developed, negotiated and oversaw the successful implementation of diversity initiatives on major construction projects, including the Lincoln Financial Field and Citizens Bank Park sports stadiums, the Shops at the Airport and numerous Center City hotels, and managed economic inclusion and diversity efforts in all purchasing by the City of Philadelphia in the areas of public works, professional services, and supply contracting.