GridNEXT 2018 Speaker

Shawn Kirkpatrick, CEcD, joined KB Home, Austin Division, in April 2018 as the Director of Public Affairs. His responsibilities include local and state government relations related to land development and homebuilding regulatory and policy issues, homeowners and condominium association management, and community engagement.  KB Home is a leading homebuilder in the U.S. with operations in seven states and 35 markets with the Austin Division being a consistent top performer.  Mr. Kirkpatrick began his homebuilding career while in high school framing houses as a summer job, and he is a third-generation homebuilder with experience in Austin and San Antonio, Texas.  Mr. Kirkpatrick’s current industry experience encompasses sales and marketing, finance, purchasing, and operations.  Between stints in the homebuilding industry, Mr. Kirkpatrick served the communities of Bastrop and Levelland, Texas as Executive Director of their economic development corporations.  

While Executive Director of the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) in Bastrop, Texas, his successes include attracting a neighborhood hospital, expansion of the downtown trail system, a public-private partnership to redevelop an infill lot in historic downtown, and primary job creation through several notable company attractions.   In 2017 the Bastrop EDC was recognized by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), earning a Silver Excellence in Economic Development Award and Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC) Workforce Excellence Award for the EDC’s annual Youth Career Day.   While serving as the Executive Director of the EDC in Levelland, Texas, the EDC earned a 2014 Gold Excellence in Economic Development award for Multi-Year Economic Development Program from the IEDC for the Levelland Industrial Rail Park. They were also awarded the 2014 Community Economic Development Award (CEDA) from the Texas Economic Development Council for the retention and expansion of Butch’s Rat Hole and Anchor Service in the Rail Park.  Mr. Kirkpatrick’s has been recognized for his work developing the Rail Park and is regarded as a rural community expert in local economic development of rail-based businesses.    

Mr. Kirkpatrick earned his Certified Economic Developer designation in December 2015. He studied at Oklahoma University Economic Development Institute and received a Master’s of Science and Bachelor’s of Science in Agriculture and Agricultural Economics at Tarleton State University. As a native Austinite, he spends much of his spare time enjoying outdoor recreation and watching his kids participate in sports and school activities.

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