PrintPrintBy Ashley Fletcher Frampton
aframpton@scbiznews.com
At just 32 years old, Jonathan Oakman has worked for a U.S. senator, the U.S. State Department, a Lower Manhattan business alliance and the city of New York.
Add to that list the city of Charleston, where Oakman began work in January as director of business services. The position is a new one that Mayor Joe Riley created to help the city’s existing businesses grow and prosper.
Through his career, Oakman says the common thread has been an interest in public policy. It started on a global scale with his work in international relations and trade, and it has since evolved into local economic development.
International focus
Oakman’s first job after college was in Washington, D.C., for Sen. Fritz Hollings, D-S.C.
“I knew I wanted to do something political,” Oakman said.
Working for the former senator, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Oakman focused on international trade. After about two years, still interested in international relations, Oakman went back to graduate school.
He then landed a job at the State Department, where he worked on NATO policy. The experience was great, he said, but something just didn’t click.
Meanwhile, something had clicked in Oakman’s personal life: He got married. His wife, Ellie, a doctor, landed a residency in New York, and Oakman seized on the move as an opportunity to try something different.
“I decided to get into economic development,” he said.
New York development
Oakman went to work for the Alliance for Downtown New York, formed by businesses in Lower Manhattan. The alliance is a business improvement district, a group of businesses that join together to enhance an urban area, typically by paying for services beyond what a city provides, such as public safety, street cleaning and marketing.
Oakman did economic research, lobbied for incentives and transportation projects and helped recruit retailers.
The work was not unlike what he is doing now, he said. Like in Lower Manhattan, he is trying to maintain a balance in Charleston among national, regional and local businesses, for example. He’s also working to balance all of those businesses’ interests with the public interest.
While working for the business alliance, a nonprofit organization, Oakman became curious about the public-sector side of economic development. That side seemed to have more money, he had noticed.
His curiosity landed him a job with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, where he put together affordable housing deals.
“It was real estate finance,” Oakman said, “but sort of for a good cause.”
Back to South Carolina
A job with the city of Charleston was a chance to move closer to family and enjoy a back yard — important considerations now that he and Ellie have a son, Jack.
Oakman arrived in Charleston just as Riley announced several local “stimulus” initiatives to help struggling businesses. One is a series of workshops, which Oakman is coordinating, that will offer financial tips and strategies to businesses.
Beyond helping businesses through the recession, Oakman’s role is to be a liaison for city businesses facing any type of problem, whether it’s zoning, parking or any other concern.
“We want to be the first point of contact for business in the city if they have any sort of problem they think the city can help them solve,” Oakman said.
Assisting businesses is what has kept Oakman working in economic development, he said.
“People often ask me if I have a business background, which could be useful in this position,” he said. “I’m coming at it from a public policy background. I’m motivated by helping people.”
Reach Ashley Fletcher Frampton at 843-849-3129.
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