Derek Pillie Joins Cirrus ABS as Manager of Its LEDO Suite Program

Fort Wayne, IN – Cirrus ABS has hired Derek Pillie to serve as program manager for its LEDO Suite, the comprehensive online marketing solution Cirrus created specifically for local economic development organizations (LEDOs) nationwide.

Pillie brings a considerable amount of experience to his new post. For much of the last 15 years, he has worked for different members of the U.S. House of Representatives, most recently serving as district director for former Indiana Congressman Mark Souder. In the last seven years Pillie has focused on helping LEDOs across northeast Indiana solve challenges they’ve encountered with federal agencies and better position their communities for new investment. He also has been involved in supporting the establishment of new LEDOs in this region.

 “We’re excited about bringing Derek aboard,” says Cirrus CEO and Founder Matt Nickols. “His experience with government agencies and intimate knowledge of how local economic development organizations operate will be invaluable as we fine-tune our LEDO Suite to meet the different needs of specific communities.” 

Pillie says that if he’s learned one thing, “it’s that the chief obstacle for any community seeking outside investment is getting ‘found’ by key business stakeholders, be they site selectors or corporate executives. I’m impressed with how the LEDO Suite addresses this. Cirrus ABS developed it so communities can not only take control of their message but also enable local stakeholders to help manage that message for better online visibility.” 

Pillie also expresses excitement about his new position at Cirrus. “It gives me an opportunity,” he says, “to do two of my favorite things: work with the economic development community … and solve marketing challenges. As a former government employee, I understand that the challenge most often confronting LEDOs is not cash flow but time. My goal is to develop solutions that clients can actually make work for them in the time they have available.” 

To learn more about how local economic development organizations can benefit from the Cirrus LEDO Suite program, please visit ledosuite.com.