City hires internally for economic development manager role

In just a short time, a city of North Port specialist is moving up into a managerial role. 

After joining the city in September 2022 as marketing and business development specialist, Vinicia “Vinnie” Mascarenhas quickly moved into the interim economic development manager role. After months of leading efforts to help local businesses recover from Hurricane Ian and marketing the city to commercial and industrial development, that interim title has now been stripped. 

“With over 20 years of experience working in local, state and federal levels of government and in the private sector, Vinnie brings a wealth of knowledge to our team,” City Manager Jerome Fletcher says in a release. “During her time in the interim role the past six months she has demonstrated her skill in developing strategic partnerships and her enthusiasm for the city and our mission.”

Mascarenhas is the former marketing communications manager for Sarasota-based U.S. Submergent Technologies, an infrastructure maintenance company, as well as was the communications manager for GTL, a technology solutions manufacturer in Virginia. 

“With so many transformative projects already in the works across our 104 square miles, from health care expansions to infrastructure improvements and more to come," Mascarenhas says in the release, "this is an exciting time for economic development, job creation and the future of North Port."