Longtime State Economic Development Leader Joins McNees Government Relations Team
September 19, 2022
Press Releases
HARRISBURG, Pa. — (Sept. 19, 2022) McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC announced today that former Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Deputy Secretary Sheri Collins has joined the McNees Strategic Solutions Group.
Collins brings more than three decades of leadership experience in state government, including nearly 20 years in economic development roles. She most recently served the past two years as senior director of the DCED Office of Corporate Relations. Prior to that, she was deputy secretary for the DCED Office of Innovation and Technology from 2015 through 2019 and previously held senior-level positions with the state’s technology and innovation programs.
“When people talk about technology, innovation, broadband and economic investment in Pennsylvania, chances are very good that Sheri has been at the forefront of those efforts,” said Michael G. Musser, II, co-chair of MSSG, the full-service government affairs, grassroots advocacy and nonprofit consulting firm of McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC. “Sheri has been one of the most aggressive and effective champions for economic development in Pennsylvania for decades, and we’re thrilled that she has brought her passion and her considerable talents to McNees Strategic Solutions Group.”
After more than 35 years of public service, Collins retired from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania earlier this spring. But, she said, the opportunity to serve in a new and different capacity with McNees drew her out of her short-lived retirement.
“I’ve had the privilege of working with McNees throughout my career in state government, and I’ve always been impressed with their talent and culture,” Collins said. “I’m excited to be part of a firm that builds and nurtures relationships, is community-focused and firmly rooted in its values.”
Collins began her career in 1986 with the Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System, where she spent 18 years in various roles, including special assistant to the Chief Counsel, where she served as liaison with the Governor’s Office of General Counsel and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
In 2004, she transitioned to DCED and what would become a nearly two-decade economic development journey.
Much of her career has focused on helping fledgling technology companies succeed in Pennsylvania, encouraging venture capital investments across the commonwealth – from administering the Keystone Innovation Zone program to leading the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority and eventually her deputy secretary position, where she helped launch several high-profile programs to boost business and economic investment in Pennsylvania communities.
Collins has been a leader in Pennsylvania’s efforts to help rural communities by investing in increased access to high-speed Internet service and was instrumental in the signing of legislation that established the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority. She also served as Pennsylvania’s State Alternate to the Appalachian Regional Commission, an economic development partnership agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on rural counties in the Appalachian region.
“I absolutely had the best career in state government, because it allowed me to do what I love – help others; that’s my driving force,” Collins said. “And now with McNees, I can continue to help people – connecting local governments, companies and organizations to the resources they need to succeed.”
For more information on McNees Strategic Solutions Group, visit www.McNeesLaw.com.
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McNees is a full-service law firm with more than 140 attorneys representing corporations, associations, institutions and individuals. The firm serves clients worldwide from offices in Devon, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Pittsburgh, Scranton, State College and York, Pa.; Columbus, Ohio; Frederick, Md.; and Washington, D.C. McNees is also a member of the ALFA International Global Legal Network.
