Dwayne A. Gathers

Regional Manager, Central & South Los Angeles

Dwayne Gathers serves as Regional Manager for the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC).  He directs the LAEDC’s business attraction, expansion and retention efforts over a wide area, including a substantial portion of the City of Los Angeles (Downtown, Hollywood, Wilshire Corridor, Koreatown, Miracle Mile, South LA, and the southwest areas of Marina del Rey, Playa Vista and Venice) along with the City of West Hollywood. 

Mr. Gathers is the lead representative of the LAEDC providing business advisory services to companies on a range of issues as it affects business and job growth and fosters development.  In performing his responsibilities, he collaborates with other business organizations, city agencies and government officials on economic development policy considerations (including economic development strategy, tax incentives and land use planning) and issues affecting the business community and overall business environment.  Mr. Gathers is a graduate of the Leadership Southern California Class of 2007 and serves on the Workforce Investment Board for the City of Los Angeles.

Prior to joining the LAEDC, Mr. Gathers developed an extensive background in international business development, trade and investment facilitation, and foreign affairs.  He lead an international trade development consulting practice, based in San Francisco, working with smaller to medium sized companies and foreign trade development clients, including such organizations as the Mauritius Industrial Development Authority and the Export Promotion Council of Kenya.  Appointed by the Governor of California, he opened and managed the State of California’s Office of Trade and Investment in Johannesburg, South Africa from 1995 to 2000.  Previously, he was a senior staff member at the US Department of State in Washington, DC serving as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs.

Mr. Gathers has participated in various leadership, democracy building and education exchange missions internationally, including to Morocco, Viet Nam and Jordan; served on a US pre-election assessment team to Haiti; was a consultant to the South Africa Democracy Support project funded by the US Agency for International Development; and served as a United Nations Election Observer for South Africa’s first all-race elections in April 1994.

Mr. Gathers began his professional career in finance, completing the Management Training program with Chemical Bank in New York City before going on to become a Corporate Banking Officer in the bank’s Energy & Minerals Division.  He was later recruited to join the newly formed Private Banking Group of National Westminster Bank USA as an Assistant Vice President.

A graduate of Deerfield Academy (1980) in Massachusetts, Mr. Gathers has served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Alumni Association and on its Board of Trustees.  He graduated from Dartmouth College (1984) with an A.B. in Government and Economics.  While at Dartmouth, he participated in a language study abroad program in Blois, France. 

He has been involved in a number of civic organizations, including Town Hall Los Angeles, the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, the Pacific Council on International Policy, and has served on the Africa Investment Advisory Board of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation in Washington, D.C.  He currently serves on the board of the International Visitors Council of Los Angeles.  Additionally, he has served as a member of the 9th Council District’s Community Advisory Committee of the Community Redevelopment Agency; the Economic Development Strategy Ad Hoc Committee for the city’s Community Development Department; and participated as an advisor to the CRA and City Planning Department’s Industrial Land Use task group.  Born and raised in New York City, Mr. Gathers lives in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.