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HIGH POINT - The core city office has its first executive director. Wendy Fuscoe, an engineer and former watershed protection consultant for the city, will oversee the Core City Development Plan, the city announced Monday.

The plan, a multiyear and multiarea revitalization effort concentrated in High Point's downtown, surrounding neighborhoods and industrial areas, has been a major project of the City Council since planning began in 2005.

In a statement Monday, city officials said Fuscoe was the best of the 60 applicants they got for the job and that her previous experience with the city gives them confidence.

"I worked closely with Wendy on the city's model watershed plan," City Manager Strib Boynton said in the statement. "She brings strong leadership, strategic planning, and consensus-building skills, which will provide considerable value, energy and focus to the core city effort."

Mayor Becky Smothers echoed that sentiment in a statement.

"Wendy has shown repeatedly that she can find innovative solutions to problems while working closely with a wide range of interests, as she did to create a model Randleman watershed management plan for High Point eight years ago," Smothers said.

As the core city executive director, Fuscoe will be a city employee but will report to a core city board of directors. That board will be led by Tom Terrell, chairman of the Core City Steering Committee.

"Wendy brings to this new role extensive project management experience as well as a background of working with many cultures," Terrell said in the statement.

"She will be responsible for the promotion and implementation of the core city plan and will work to revitalize this important focus area of High Point."

Contact Joe Killian at 883-4422 or joe.killian@news-record.com