Grey Dodge

Grey is forging and strengthening strategic partnerships and helping secure community commitment to InSPIRE's bold vision for the Northwest Florida region. He joins the team from the City of Panama City, where he served as Director of Economic Development, overseeing crucial development efforts through sustainable private sector growth to create a diverse and stable local economy. His efforts resulted in significant job creation and the licensing of more than 5,000 businesses in the city during his tenure, helping small and entrepreneurial businesses open and expand through a newly created Business Navigator program. As head of the Community Redevelopment Agency, he oversaw a $4M annual budget in infrastructure projects, commercial and residential grants.

Grey's deep knowledge of government and policy experience includes relationships with both the legislative and executive branches of Florida. His efforts leading Florida's Opportunity Zones development throughout his career includes advising on planning and marketing strategies to attract investors and developers to low-income communities. He educated communities through speaking engagements at national conferences, hosting regional conferences and community-driven workshops, and advocating for equitable development. While Policy Director at the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, he led the selection process for Florida’s Opportunity Zones, collaborating with various investors, developers, community stakeholders, and elected state and local officials.

Grey maintains established relationships with federal, state, and local agencies, elected officials, advisors, consultants, investors, and real estate developers. His time spent as a Gubernatorial Fellow with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and as a Legislative Fellow with the Florida House of Representatives, Office of the Majority Leader, gives him valued insights and expertise into business growth, economic development, and deregulation. As a single and multi-family residential developer for Royal American Development in Panama City, he honed his financial feasibility acumen, end-to-end project management and ability to seamlessly interact with government agencies such as the Florida Housing Finance Corporation for preservation and new construction developments.

A proud Florida State University alumnus, Grey received his Doctor of Law and Master of Business Administration from FSU and his Bachelor's in Political Science from the University of Central Florida. He's a current board member of Habitat for Humanity and Goodwill of the Big Bend.