Commerce names Barbra Coffee to lead EDGE
Veteran economic developer from Tucson to direct Oklahoma’s EDGE division. EDGE and CORE were created by 2024 legislation.
OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) — The Oklahoma Department of Commerce named Barbra Coffee executive director of the Office of Economic Development, Growth and Expansion (EDGE), an appointment announced Dec. 29, 2025 by Commerce CEO John Budd. EDGE, along with the Community Outreach and Revitalization Enterprise (CORE) division, was established within Commerce by 2024 legislation.
Coffee holds the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) credential and serves on the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute’s board. She most recently led the City of Tucson’s Office of Economic Initiatives.
Since 2019, her Tucson portfolio has produced more than 7,000 jobs and supported expansions by Raytheon, American Battery Factory, CIS Global and Sion Power, with projects totaling over $2 billion in capital investment.
“Barbra brings more than two decades of economic development experience spanning Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Texas,” said CEO Budd. “After one of the most successful years for economic development in Oklahoma history, her leadership will be instrumental as we continue that momentum and work to make Oklahoma the most business-friendly state in the country.”
“I am thrilled to join the team at the Department of Commerce,” Coffee said. “I look forward to working with communities across the state to drive a more resilient future for all Oklahomans by building strong partnerships and creating meaningful collaborations.”
EDGE serves as the state’s lead point of contact for business recruitment and expansion, coordinating investment activity and marketing efforts across local, regional and state partners. CORE focuses on strengthening community competitiveness over the long term through planning, data, and capacity-building to support job creation.
The 2024 framework also aligned Commerce’s incentive review and transparency functions and clarified roles across the state’s economic development ecosystem, aiming to reduce duplication and accelerate project timelines.
