City Names New Economic Development Director

Kim Matthews is the new Economic Development Director for the City of Sidney.

She takes the duties vacated by Melissa Norgard when Norgard resigned to spend more time with the family business, Sam & Louie's Pizzeria.

Matthews has experience in rural and urban settings, and has spent time in locations globally. She is a fourth-generation Nebraskan and has multi-cultural experiences. She taught in Korea, and most recently on the Zuni Reservation in New Mexico.

“Although I had an opportunity to live all over the US and overseas, Nebraska is home base and the only place that I wanted to raise my children,” she said in a press release to the community. She learned about the Economic Development opportunity after moving to near the Dalton community. She also commended Norgard for the work she did.

“I am really appreciating the warm welcome that I am receiving from across Sidney! I especially appreciate the support of Melissa Norgard, the former Economic Development Director. She left an amazing legacy for us to build upon and is continuing to play a huge part in Sidney’s continued success as a business owner. I am just really looking forward to working with, and supporting, our community to keep Sidney thriving,” she said.

She brings almost two decades of economic development experience including developing non-profits with for-profit entities built for long-term sustainability to building bridges between rural Nebraska communities and UNL researchers.

“The most successful economic development projects are often partnered with strong community development campaigns,” she said.

She has two grown children. Her daughter recently finished her service in the US Air Force as a Chinese Linguist and is now finishing her bachelor's degree in England. Her son is working on his dissertation and will receive his PhD in economics from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Barely a week into her new duties, Williams is impressed with the Sidney and Cheyenne County community.

“I am really appreciating the warm welcome that I am receiving from across Sidney! I especially appreciate the support of Melissa Norgard, the former Economic Development Director. She left an amazing legacy for us to build upon and is continuing to play a huge part in Sidney’s continued success as a business owner. I am just really looking forward to working with, and supporting, our community to keep Sidney thriving,” she said.