Craig Buerstatte

Craig Buerstatte serves as EDA’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Affairs, responsible for the implementation, growth, and evaluation of EDA’s economic development programs and policies. This work brings together the tools and expertise across EDA’s six regional offices, national program teams and performance division to create more robust and resilient regional economies across America. Mr. Buerstatte served in the U.S. Army in Iraq, developing new supply chain solutions and infrastructure when resources were strained. He founded a technology firm and invested in startups in Austin, Texas, before returning to public service to help the EDA grow its Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (OIE). As Director for OIE, he led new policy initiatives and grant programs that promoted technology innovation and talent development as tools for economic development—growing the portfolio nearly 400% and scaling its impacts to over $1.6 billion in private investment capital and 14,000 jobs.

Mr. Buerstatte also serves as a member of the Federal Innovation Council, a team of civil servant leaders advising the Partnership for Public Service. He earned a bachelors of science in economics from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a masters of business administration from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.