Edward Castro Bennett

About Edward Castro Bennett

I’m a public servant, social entrepreneur, and believer in small towns with a big vision for rural Utah. I’ve spent over two decades helping communities grow and develop by building businesses, launching partnerships, and rethinking how local governments and small communities can serve their people. Today, I serve as City Manager and Economic Development Director for the City of Green River, Utah. There, my responsibility is both operational and strategic. I oversee daily municipal functions while advancing long term economic positioning. That means budgets and utilities. It also means infrastructure and site readiness, workforce alignment and recruitment conversations, and disciplined follow through with state and federal partners.Economic development is central to my mandate. I focus on business recruitment and expansion, workforce development, and long-term competitiveness. In my first year in Green River, I helped bring Emery County’s first EDCUtah project to life. Project Photosynthesis, led by Airbuild, Inc, represents millions in private investment and an entirely new slate of skilled jobs for our local workforce. This win demonstrates that rural communities can compete for serious industry when preparation meets opportunity and leadership stays focused on fundamentals.Workforce development runs alongside that effort. Industry does not relocate for sentiment or because a town is quaint and set in its ways. It relocates for talent, logistics, and stability. Aligning local workforce pipelines with real labor market demand is not optional in rural communities. It is foundational and it is difficult. Economic development without workforce alignment will always land dead in the water.Before Green River, I served as Director of Business Development at the Suazo Business Center, one of Utah’s foremost business development organizations, expanding statewide operations into Ogden and St. George and working directly with entrepreneurs building businesses under real socioeconomic hardships and structural constraints.Across government, nonprofit, and private environments, I focus on execution. I align policy with infrastructure, recruitment with workforce capacity, and long-term planning with fiscal reality. Much of that work happens outside headlines and away from press releases where real progress is made.I am comfortable in a budget workshop, on a development site, in a legislative committee hearing, or across the table from investors. I value preparation, I value accountability, and I value communities that intend to last.

Experience

1. Minister

   Universal Life Church

   Jun 1999 — Present · UT, US

   As a minister ordained through the Universal Life Church, I embrace the responsibility of fostering spiritual growth, inclusivity, and connection within my community. My role allows me to officiate significant life ceremonies, such as weddings, funerals, baptisms, and blessings, while honoring the ULC’s guiding principles of freedom of belief and equality for all.I take pride in providing spiritual guidance and support to those seeking meaning, comfort, or celebration in their lives. Each ceremony and interaction is tailored to reflect the unique needs and beliefs of the individuals and families I serve, with an open heart and a commitment to respecting diversity.Beyond officiating, I strive to make a positive impact through community service, advocacy, and fostering understanding among people of all backgrounds. My work as a minister is about more than ceremonies - it’s about creating spaces where everyone feels valued, supported, and connected.

Education

• University of Utah

  N/a, Various

  1999 — 2006

• Westminster University

  B.S., Economics, Political Science, Psychology

  1999

• Western Governors University

  MBA, Management and Leadership

  2024

Skills

• Community Outreach
• Strategic Planning
• Management
• Training
• Policy
• Educational Leadership
• Adult Education
• Leadership Development
• Teaching
• Event Planning
• Public Speaking
• Technical Writing
• E-Learning
• Non-Profits
• Nonprofits
• Coaching
• Editing
• Staff Development