Lewisville City Manager Claire Powell recently announced that Marichelle Samples has been hired as the city’s new Director of Economic Development.
“The future is bright because the City of Lewisville has it all,” Samples said. “This job made me reevaluate what I was doing and where I wanted to be. I really wanted to be part of the team leading the development, redevelopment, and other business opportunities in Lewisville.”
Samples has more than nine years of local government experience and comes to Lewisville from the Dallas City Attorney’s Office, where she served as Assistant City Attorney. While in Dallas, Samples started her career in the Litigation Division and transitioned to the General Counsel Division, where she was later promoted to serve as a supervising attorney for the Economic and Community Development Section.
“Marichelle is an upcoming star in the economic development world,” City Manager Claire Powell said. “Her knowledge of economic development tools and experience negotiating and drafting some of the top economic development deals in the metroplex made her the right person for the job.”
Samples holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Texas A&M University-Commerce and her Juris Doctorate from Oklahoma City University School of Law.
During her tenure at the Dallas City Attorney’s Office, Samples drafted and negotiated agreements and provided legal advice to the Dallas City Council and various City of Dallas departments, such as the Office of Economic Development and the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization.
Over the last eight years, Samples’ practice has focused heavily on economic and housing development projects, such as the redevelopment of the iconic Statler Hotel into a multi-family/hotel/retail mixed-use development; the development of the first Alamo Drafthouse in Dallas. and the redevelopment of the historic old Dallas High School into a commercial/office space, which was seen as a major pedestrian connection between Deep Ellum the Arts District and the Latino Cultural Center.
“We are excited to welcome Marichelle to the team and look forward to growing our economy and supporting our businesses under her leadership,” Powell said.
When she’s not at work, Samples likes to spend time with her husband, Benjamin, and their two kids, and looks forward to exploring all that Lewisville has to offer.
