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In a surprise move during last week’s City Council meeting, members entered executive session to address leadership changes at the Elgin Economic Development Corporation—ultimately voting to remove its director.
After more than an hour behind closed doors June 17, the council reconvened and voted to confirm the EDC board’s decision to terminate Economic Development Director Owen Rock and appoint Kaley Frye as interim director. The motion, introduced by Councilman Chuck Swain and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Sue Brashar, passed unanimously, with newly elected Council Member Tiffanny St. Pierre abstaining.
Acting Public Information Officer Stacey Osborne said no additional information about Rock’s termination is available at this time.
“Kaley has served the city of Elgin well for four years now and I know she has a firm grasp on our economic needs,” said Brashar, who also serves on the EDC board. “My fellow board members and I have every confidence that she will serve the city well in this interim period, and we are grateful for her willingness to step into the role.”
Frye has worked for the city since 2021, first as Main Street manager, then as assistant EDC director beginning in January 2022. She steps into the interim role immediately, following Rock’s tenure, which began in 2016.
The appointment comes as the city and EDC continue to manage ongoing commercial growth across Elgin and its extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Frye holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas Woman’s University, where she attended on a full athletic scholarship, and earned certification as a professional community and economic developer through the Community Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma. She previously served as director of operations for the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce.
She is a member of the Texas Economic Development Council and the International Economic Development Council, and serves on the board of the Elgin Chamber of Commerce.
Elgin EDC is a Texas Type B economic development corporation funded by a 0.5% sales tax and overseen by a seven-member board that includes two council representatives and five members appointed by the council. According to the organization’s website, the EDC supports initiatives such as infrastructure development, small business grant programs and downtown revitalization efforts.
