Jesse A. Smith
Executive Director
Claudia Miller
Administrative Manager
Angela Scott, CPA
Finance Manager
Jesse A. Smith
Executive Director
South Carolina Jobs-Economic Development Authority (JEDA)
Jesse A. Smith brings more than 20 years of experience to his role as Executive Director of the South Carolina Jobs-Economic Development Authority (JEDA). Elected in October 2023, he succeeds Harry A. Huntley, CPA, who led JEDA for many successful years.
Smith's career has been dedicated to supporting South Carolina's businesses. Most recently, he served as a strategic advisor, helping companies across the state secure capital. Prior to that, he held a senior leadership position at First Citizens Bank, where he built and expanded relationships with commercial clients.
Leveraging this experience, Smith is now at the helm of JEDA, continuing its mission to facilitate financing and economic development throughout South Carolina.
Claudia Miller
Administrative Manager
Claudia joined JEDA in January 2010 and serves as Administrative Manager for the SC Jobs-Economic Development Authority, providing operational and administrative functions for the agency, as well as assisting the Executive Director with its management.
Prior to joining JEDA, Claudia worked as Due Diligence Coordinator for a venture capital/financial services company and spent over 12 years in the legal arena, as Practice Group Manager, Office Manager, Paralegal and CLA. Previously, Claudia held positions as General Manager, Accountant and Human Resource Recruiter for various companies throughout the U.S. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, European Division with a degree in Business Administration.
Claudia is a native of Germany and is fluent in German. She has been a resident of South Carolina since 2002 and previously lived in Hawaii, California, New Jersey, New York, Kentucky, Alabama and Germany.
Angela Scott, CPA
Finance Manager
Angela joined JEDA in November 2022 and serves as Finance Manager for the SC Jobs-Economic Development Authority, providing accounting, finance, and SSBCI oversight functions for the agency. Angela is a native of Columbia and a graduate of Meredith College with a degree in accounting. She is a Certified Public Accountant. Prior to joining JEDA, Angela worked as CFO for a privately held corporation, owned her own CPA firm, and worked in various roles in public accounting including audit, tax, and business services.
