Chris Clifton named new executive director of Watertown Development Company (Audio)

June 21, 2023
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.–The Watertown Development Company (WDC) has its fourth executive director in the past five years.

Chris Clifton was introduced at Tuesday’s city council meeting.

He comes to Watertown from Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he worked for the Wyoming Economic Development Association.

Clifton says he’s worked on economic development projects all over the world, on behalf of some recognizable names….

Clifton replaces Michelle Kakacek, who resigned in April.

Kakacek replaced Mark Vaux, who left in December 2021 after lasting less than eight months on the job.

Prior to that, the WDC was led by Chris Schilken, who left in April 2021, and is now the commissioner of the South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development.