The Art Box - Episode 53 - EPA Sites, Crazy Eddie and Who Let the Steam Out - Meet George Gault

George and his wife, Linda retired to Mesquite in 2011, and quickly became active in the community. Linda became the President of the noon Rotary Club and George volunteered for a City committee tasked with evaluating the economic development program. The Committee’s recommendation was to create a nonprofit economic development program independent of the City. That organization became Mesquite Regional Business and George was its first Chairman. Notable projects during that period were construction of 1-15 exit 118 and Eagle’s Landing Truck Stop, Star Nursery, Deep Roots Harvest and lobbying for natural gas.

In 2018, George ran for and was elected to the Mesquite City Council. In that capacity he served on the Clark County Flood Control District Commission and the Regional Transportation Commission. He has recently been appointed to the Las Vegas Global Alliance Board of Directors and the Governor’s Workforce Development Board. With Councilman Brian Wursten he helped to create the Mesquite Public Arts Commission. He has continued to serve on the boards of Mesquite Works, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting employers and job seekers through education and training, and Mesquite Opportunities Regional Fund, a nonprofit that acts as a catalyst to identify issues and match them with potential resources. Currently, he serves on the Management Team of the Mesquite STEAM Center.

George served as President of the Wyoming Community Foundation from 2003 to 2011. Under his leadership, and with strong board support and an excellent staff, total assets grew from $30 million to $70 million. Grant making grew to almost $3 million annually. The Foundation performed substantive work in capacity building for nonprofits.

George has run his own consulting business, Gault & Associates, LLC, specializing in economic and community development, assisting communities and organizations to set goals and find resources to implement them. He served as Managing Director of Administration for American Capital Access, the nation’s first single A rated bond insurance company with offices in New York City, Bethesda, MD, and Powell, WY. In that capacity, he participated in raising $126.25 million to capitalize the company. George was Executive Director of the Division of Community and Economic Development of the Wyoming Department of Commerce and served under Governor Mike Sullivan.

He has a BA degree in Modern European History from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Northern Colorado, in Greeley, CO. He holds the Certified Economic Developer designation from the International Economic Development Council and the Economic Development Finance Professional designation from the National Development Council. Both are in emeritus status due to his retirement.