About

Steven M. North

Economic Development Director

City of Show Low, Arizona

Steve has over 30 years of experience in various aspects of economic development. Steve currently serves as the Economic Development Director for the City of Show Low and is responsible for attracting new business and investment, helping existing businesses to expand and grow, assisting start-up businesses and improving the business climate. Prior to his current position, Steve served as the Vice President of Marketing for the Great Falls Development Authority (GFDA) in Great Falls, Montana. While in Great Falls, Steve was instrumental in recruiting four new primary sector companies to the community, creating 300 new direct jobs and bringing in more than $75 million in new capital investment. Steve also served as the Interim President & CEO for the GFDA for four months. Before that, Steve served as the Director of Economic Development with the Stillwater, Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce. While in Stillwater, Steve facilitated almost 400,000 S.F. of new retail development and successfully recruited several high technology companies to Stillwater. Prior to that, Steve spent almost seven years as an Economic Development Specialist with Arizona State University. In that capacity, Steve facilitated technology transfer, sponsored research activities and new company start-ups by facilitating relationships between the university and the business community. Steve also worked briefly in store planning for CSK Auto Inc. of Phoenix (prior to O’Reilly Auto Parts acquisition) and performed business recruitment work for 2 ½ years for the Greater Tucson Economic Council (GTEC) in Tucson, Arizona.

Steve earned a B.S. degree in Urban Geography from Arizona State University in 1991 and attained the AZED Pro designation from the Arizona Association for Economic Development in 2019.

Steve is an active member in several professional organizations. He is currently a member of the Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED), the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). In addition, Steve serves on the board of directors of the Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG) Economic Development Council, Arizona at Work Northeastern Arizona, and the Real Arizona Economic Development Group and as a liaison to the Show Low Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Steve is co-founder and co-owner of North Star Business Center in Show Low—along with his wife, Diana, and is the owner/operator of Mountain Home Watchers—a Show Low based vacation home monitoring business. In his spare time, Steve is an active participant in a wide variety of sports activities and is an avid outdoorsman.