J. Steven Dykes, AICP, SCCED
J. Steven Dykes has served as the director of the Charleston County Economic Development Department since the inception of its program in 1993. A native of Charleston, Dykes earned his undergraduate degree in political science at the College of Charleston in 1979 and his Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) in 1982 from the joint University of South Carolina / College of Charleston program. He is a 1995 graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma, a 1996 graduate of Leadership Charleston, and earned his accreditation in 2008 as a South Carolina Certified Economic Developer. He recently graduated from The Advanced Economic Development Leadership Program, sponsored by The University of Alabama, Clemson University, Texas Christian University and Southern Mississippi.
For the past 20 years as County Economic Development Director, Dykes has spearheaded the County recruitment, retention & expansion efforts, leveraging more than $6.3 billion in capital investment and the creation of more than 33,000 jobs within Charleston County’s borders.
Charleston County has been ranked in the Top Ten among the state’s 46 counties for capital investment and new job creation each year since 1996, placing #1 in both categories in 2004 and 2009. This has included the recruitment and expansion of numerous blue-chip companies such as The Boeing Company, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Cummins, Kapstone Paper & Packaging, and T-Mobile, among others. Under Dykes leadership, Charleston County played a significant role in the relocation and subsequent expansion of the Boeing 787 Final Assembly and Delivery Facility, and the establishment of the Sprinter Vans manufacturing and assembly facility, ranking among the largest economic development announcements in South Carolina history.