HispanicBusiness

A serial tech entrepreneur has been chosen to lead Savannah's creative community.

Bea Wray will succeed Jake Hodesh as the director of the Creative Coast, the local nonprofit that consults and advocates for tech, digital and other knowledge-based businesses. Her hiring will be announced Tuesday morning.

"She has the ability to move us up several notches as an entity," said local attorney Dana Braun, the chairman of the Creative Coast's board of directors. "She is an incredible businessperson. We're fortunate to have someone with her background and knowledge."

Wray has two decades experience in entrepreneurship, most recently as a consultant for online social networking firms Kin Valley and ERLink. She founded several startups, including tech-related companies SourceHarbor (based in Hilton Head Island), Deposix and SourceFile.

She previously worked for Siemens in Germany and was the CEO of tech company Data Securities International.

Wray has been involved with the Creative Coast for more than a decade. She participated in the organization's Startup Lounge and FastPitch events. Additionally, she's a regular speaker at Georgia Tech Savannah's brown bag lunch series and a contributor to the ATDC Executive Roundtable. She is among the leaders of StartupChicks Savannah, a support group for female entrepreneurs.

Wray has Savannah roots. Her parents grew up in Savannah. She's called Daufuskie Island home since 2003. She is a graduate of Emory and holds a master's degree from the Harvard business school.

Wray was one of almost 300 applicants for the job. She starts Monday, five months after Hodesh announced his resignation to accept a position with a similar entrepreneurial organization in his hometown of Cincinnati.