The city of Clayton hired Gary Carter for the newly created position of economic developer.

Carter, currently senior vice president of community and economic development for DavenportOne Chamber of Commerce in Davenport, Iowa, will begin his new job Jan. 12, the city said in a release.

Carter previously served the Economic Development Corp. of Kansas City in various positions from 1999 to 2007, including as the executive director of the Tax Increment Financing Commission.

With the city of Clayton, he’ll work on the retention and expansion of existing Clayton businesses, real estate analysis and working on current projects such as Centene, Brown Shoe, RJ York, Trianon, Carondelet Village, the Clayton and Hanley Road project and others yet to be publicly announced, the city said.

Last month, Brown Shoe Co. said it’s putting its new $568 million headquarters in Clayton on hold after its profit plummeted.

Brown's profit dropped 62 percent in the third quarter due to a rapid decline in consumer spending, forcing the company to slow its store expansion plans and postpone its new headquarters development.

“Even in a slower market, there is significant work that continues on these projects which are all preparing to move forward when the financing markets allow,” said City Manager Craig Owens, in a statement.