The Town of Garner has officially announced that April Wood, a name many locals already know and respect, will soon be stepping into the role of downtown and economic development administrator. With a starting date set on Monday, Wood is prepared to leverage her extensive background, which spans more than 15 years in local business and economic planning, to enhance Garner's downtown core and provide support to its small business community.
Nate Groover, Garner's current Economic Development Director, couldn't be more thrilled about the selection. "We are excited to have April join the Town of Garner as our new downtown and economic development administrator," he expressed. Groover believes that Wood's "background and experience will be invaluable as we work to enhance Downtown and foster the small business community in Garner," according to a statement obtained by the official Town of Garner website.
Wood, a true Garner product with deep roots in the town, is simultaneously feeling enthusiastic and optimistic about her upcoming responsibilities. Having graduated from Garner Senior High School and later the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she is not an unfamiliar face in the community. Wood reflected on her ambitions for the town, stating "I look forward not only to bringing more awareness to Downtown Garner but also to creating a vibrant atmosphere that supports all small businesses for years to come," as quoted on the Town of Garner official website.
Her journey includes a stint at her alma mater, Garner Senior High School, where she began her career teaching ninth-grade social studies and coaching junior varsity cheerleading. Post-education, Wood ventured into entrepreneurship, co-owning and operating a small business for over 15 years. This switch to entrepreneurship enabled her to directly impact the local economic landscape long before her official appointment. She also has past experience as vice president of the Garner Chamber of Commerce, where she was known to have effectively spoken locally and nationally about Garner's talent pipeline and the Career Prep Program that she helped spearhead at Garner Magnet High School Business Alliance.
Ms. Wood's more recent endeavors involved a marketing director role for Charles Ashley Mann, Family & Cosmetic Dentistry. Here she was responsible for expanding brand awareness through savvy digital marketing campaigns and community engagement tactics, developing strategies to reach audiences not just in Garner, but in Cary and Fuquay-Varina as well.
