Iain Vasey’s familiarity with the Golden Triangle Development LINK dates back to 2011, when he went head-to-head with the organization while working to land a Hawker Beechcraft site selection deal as executive director of economic development for the Baton Rouge Area Chamber in Louisiana.
Hawker Beechcraft declared bankruptcy and didn’t locate either place. Fifteen years later, Vasey is set to compete for the Golden Triangle as the LINK’s chief executive officer.
“It’s a big move,” Vasey told The Dispatch on Thursday. “It’s a very successful organization. I hope I can help bring value to the organization and the team, and I’m looking forward to meeting all of the stakeholders, the board members and the staff members as well.”
The LINK announced through a press release Thursday that Vasey will assume the role March 15. The organization has been without a CEO for six months since Joe Max Higgins was fired in August for alleged inappropriate workplace conduct and speech.
Bain Nickels, chairman for the 13-member LINK Board of Directors, said Vasey was selected from a pool of roughly 120 candidates following a national search led by Jorgenson Pace, a Greensboro, North Carolina-based search firm specializing in nonprofit, economic development and community development sectors.
“He’s got a history of winning complex projects (and) delivering real results,” Nickels told The Dispatch on Thursday. “He understands the collaboration it takes to get deals done. He understands the infrastructure, workforce (and) partnerships. He’s a proven winner, and he really stood out amongst the other applicants.”
Track record
Vasey brings more than 30 years of experience in economic development, including leadership roles in Texas, Louisiana and most recently Oregon, according to the press release.
As president and CEO of the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation, Vasey helped attract more than $50 billion in industrial investment, including projects for ExxonMobil, Steel Dynamics and a Tesla lithium processing facility.
Before his time in Texas, Vasey led economic development efforts in Baton Rouge, recruiting companies such as IBM, Methanex and Avalon Metals and supporting expansions by ExxonMobil, BASF and CF Industries, resulting in more than $9 billion in new capital investment and more than 5,000 jobs.
Most recently, Vasey served as director of development services for the city of Klamath Falls, Oregon, where he acted as program executive for more than $400 million in new U.S. Air Force capital investment to support the transition to F-35 aircraft at Kingsley Field.
As he prepares to step into the role at the LINK, Vasey told The Dispatch he is not setting specific expectations for the types of projects he hopes to land in the Golden Triangle, noting that 2025 has been a relatively slow development cycle nationwide.
“There was a lot of uncertainty in the market,” he said. “In the south for the last … 20 years … the real big deals were primarily either automotive related, aviation related or financial services, and the number of those deals has really kind of slowed down a little bit. Now, there are sectors that are increasing, meaning data centers and things like that, but we have to be very judicious about what deals we pursue and put together. So I don’t want to set any expectations that are unrealistic.
Vasey said his early focus will be on aligning goals with the LINK’s board, staff and regional stakeholders.
“We’re working through the goals with the board, the existing team, the counties and the cities,” he said. “It’s an evolving process.”
‘Big shoes to fill’
The Golden Triangle is home to five Tennessee Valley Authority-certified Megasites, four of which are home to tenants that have invested billions in capital and created thousands of jobs.
The aptly named CINCO megasite was unveiled in May 2025 in Lowndes County, and state and county funds are being used to develop the nearly 1,500-acre site to draw new industry.
“There have been real successes in this organization,” Vasey said. “They’re very big shoes to fill. It’s a very impressive team and a very impressive organization over the years, and I hope to be able to continue some of that momentum based on experience, connections on a national level and being able to build the data that will help companies achieve the right decision in locating in that area.”
While Vasey said his professional network will help “open doors,” he emphasized that data ultimately drives site selection decisions.
“Data … engineering assessments and financial assessments,” he said. “… People might listen to you, might accept the meetings, but it ultimately comes down to: is there a compelling business case that can be made for that location?”
Vasey said he looks forward to working with the LINK’s staff.
“One of the reasons I pursued this job was because of the existing staff and team that people in the industry speak very highly of,” he said. “… This is a high level performing, experienced and knowledgeable and successful team, and my goal is … can I add to that? Can I add my own experiences to help that team?”
Meryl Fisackerly, chief operating officer for the LINK, said she hopes the organization continues to build on its momentum.
“I just hope that we can continue to … move forward with the momentum that we have been building over the last, not just six months since the leadership transition, but all the years prior to Mr. Vasey joining the organization,” Fisackerly told The Dispatch. “I’m looking forward to seeing what all he’s got planned for the LINK and where he sees us going over the next few years and what direction he plans to take the organization.”
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
