JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Rob Dixon is stepping down from his post as the Department of Economic Development director in October, Gov. Mike Parson formally announced Tuesday.
Dixon’s last day at the department (DED) will be Oct. 22. He will join Ameren Missouri later in October as its director of community and economic development.
“We are excited for Director Dixon as he enters this next chapter of his career,” Parson said. “Rob has built an incredibly strong team at DED, and while we will miss his leadership and common-sense approach, we know DED’s passionate and dedicated team members will help ensure a smooth transition and continue serving Missourians without delay.”
“Rob’s love for this state has helped bring greater opportunity to thousands of Missourians, and Teresa and I thank him for his service and wish him the best in his new role and all that comes next,” Parson continued.
At the department, Dixon navigated high unemployment rates amid the COVID-19 pandemic and oversaw the reshuffling of four state agencies that included the downsizing of DED. He has also promoted efforts to increase broadband access throughout Missouri.
Dixon helped develop Missouri’s Best in Midwest initiative and create the Missouri One Start program. He also oversaw projects like the expansion of the GM plant in Wentzville, the Nucor steel mill in Sedalia, and the USDA headquarters in Kansas City.
Prior to serving at the helm of DED, Dixon was the president and CEO of the Missouri Community College Association, the largest higher education association in the state. He also worked with the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, managing staff and economic and workforce development projects.
Dixon is the former Hollister Area Chamber of Commerce executive director.
Dixon was appointed by former Gov. Eric Greitens in 2017 and is the second department official named under the former governor’s tenure to depart this year. (Department of Health and Senior Services Director Randall Williams resigned in April.)
In his new role, Dixon will lead the planning and implementation of programs to foster community and economic growth in Missouri’s service territory which encompasses more than 500 communities, Ameren said.
“Good jobs are the backbone of strong communities,” said Marty Lyons, president of Ameren Missouri. “Thanks to our company’s Smart Energy Plan, including one of the best economic development rates in the country, new and existing companies are expanding and jobs are growing in Missouri. I look forward to working with Rob and our team in the years ahead to make our communities even better places to live, work and raise a family.”
“Missouri is a great place to do business, and I’m excited to continue to help move our state forward in the years ahead in my new role with Ameren Missouri,” Dixon said. “I know the high commitment level of Ameren Missouri to attracting and retaining jobs in our state, and I’m humbled and honored to join the exceptional team focused on community and economic development.”
Dixon is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, serving in Afghanistan and Pakistan following the Sept. 11 attacks. He is an alumnus of Missouri State University, the University of Missouri – St. Louis, and St. Charles Community College.
An acting DED director will be named prior to Dixon’s departure, Parson said.
Kaitlyn Schallhorn was the editor in chief of The Missouri Times from 2020-2022. She joined the newspaper in early 2019 after working as a reporter for Fox News in New York City.
Throughout her career, Kaitlyn has covered political campaigns across the U.S., including the 2016 presidential election, and humanitarian aid efforts in Africa and the Middle East.
She is a native of Missouri who studied journalism at Winthrop University in South Carolina. She is also an alumna of the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
Contact Kaitlyn at kaitlyn@themissouritimes.com.
