The Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) has appointed Andreas Eckstein as its new president and CEO, bringing international business development experience and a focus on industry growth, workforce development and business attraction to the Texas Panhandle.
Eckstein recently met with community leaders and residents at Amarillo City Hall to discuss his vision for the city’s economic future. His appointment follows a national search that attracted nearly 30 candidates. He succeeds interim CEO Doug Nelson, who had led the organisation since January 2025.
Before joining AEDC, Eckstein spent seven years in Chicago supporting German companies expanding into the United States while helping American businesses invest in Germany. His work focused primarily on the aerospace, defence and agriculture sectors.
“The opportunity is, we’ve got a lot of land here, a good workforce and energy is cheap, so that’s very attractive for many companies,” Eckstein said.
Located in the Texas Panhandle, Amarillo serves as a regional hub for agriculture, logistics, energy and advanced manufacturing. The city is also home to major aerospace and defence assets, including the nearby Pantex Plant, one of the nation’s primary nuclear security facilities.
Eckstein said his immediate priority is working with AEDC’s team and local business community to attract new investment and create jobs.
“My expectations were that I could bring some energy to the team, that I’ve got a highly motivated team, which is working together with me to get business and new jobs at Amarillo,” he said.
Looking ahead, Eckstein identified aerospace, defence and advanced manufacturing as key sectors for future growth. He also sees opportunities to attract investment from outside Texas and internationally while supporting the expansion of existing local businesses.
“It’s like a moonshot that we bench out in aerospace defense and other industries and get the workforce trained and bring in more companies, not even from Texas, but also from all over the state and also international ones,” Eckstein said.
He noted that economic development efforts will focus not only on recruiting new companies but also on helping existing businesses expand. According to AEDC, a significant share of job creation typically comes from companies already operating within a community.
The organisation plans to continue engaging with local employers to identify growth opportunities, support workforce development and explore access to new domestic and international markets.
Eckstein said he hopes Amarillo’s population will continue growing over the next five years, potentially reaching 250,000 residents. He believes a larger population base could strengthen the city’s appeal for logistics operations, industrial investment and future business expansion.
“It’s a great town to be in,” Eckstein said. “We’ll do our best to make it as nice as it is or even better.”
