Gary Person has 30 years of experience in the economic development field.   He has been the President and CEO of the North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corporation since 2015 and prior to that time, he was the City Manager in Sidney, Nebraska for 16 years and the Economic Development director for 23 years. During his time in Sidney, the economy more than tripled.

He is a life-long Nebraskan, having grown up on a farm-ranch near the Wyoming border.  His past professional experiences include being the editor of three newspapers, managing two Chambers of Commerce’s and three economic development organizations; owning a public relations company and serving as the Director of the Western Office of the Governor for four years under Gov. Kay Orr. 

Gary has served as state president of the Nebraska Economic Developers Association, the Nebraska Junior Chamber of Commerce when it was ranked number one in America, and two years in the immediate past president’s role of the Nebraska City Manager’s Association.  In 1989 he was named the Outstanding Young Nebraskan of the Year. He has served on 20 different local, regional and statewide boards of directors.

He holds degrees in mass communications from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and Nebraska Western College.  Two years ago he was asked by U.S. Senator Mike Johanns to testify in Washington D.C. before a congressional subcommittee on rural job creation and regional economic growth strategies.  In 2014 he was honored as the Nebraska Economic Development Professional of the Year.