Pamela Lopez-Fettes

As the Executive Director of Growth Dimensions Economic Development, Pamela Lopez-Fettes has led the efforts to attract, retain and grow businesses in Belvidere/Boone County for the past seven years.  Under her leadership, Boone County has added over 4M square feet of high quality commercial buildings, increased more than 3000 new jobs since 2017 and $2.5B in investments from new and growing businesses, amplified home construction and reconstruction, formed and facilitated Forward Boone- a partnership of Boone County Leaders developing solutions for economic recovery during the pandemic; partnered with the Kauffman Foundation and National League of Cities to execute a comprehensive entrepreneurial ecosystem; and formulated the Automotive Innovation Network to identify and address workforce innovation and training challenges and resources to sustain and grow the automotive industry.

In addition, Pam contributes to the community by serving on the Poplar Grove Aviation Education Association / Vintage Wings & Wheels Museum Board, the Belvidere Area Chamber of Commerce Board, Region 1 Planning Council, and the Arts Council Mural Committee.
Pam has over 30 years’ experience in workforce and training in several regions within Northern Illinois and now utilizes that expertise in the region and as a Board Member on The Workforce Connection’s Workforce Board and Chair of their Employer and Public Engagement Committee.

Pamela graduated from Loyola University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology after receiving an Associate in Science from the College of DuPage.  In addition to her training in organizational development, she holds EMSI certification which allows her the ability to use labor market data to connect and inform people, education, and business.  Pamela has resided with her family in Boone County for the past 22 years where she raised her three young men.