The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. has chosen William Allen as its new chief executive to succeed the retiring Lee Harrington.

Allen is the son of famed radio and television personality Steve Allen and is himself a television industry executive.

He has been active in economic development efforts for the past decade, including as the first chief executive of the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley, a non-profit marketing and economic development organization. Among other things, Allen developed the “Valley of the Stars” marketing campaign for the Alliance, where he is still the group’s vice chairman.

Allen assumes the organization’s post on Jan. 16. Harrington will serve as vice chairman through June.

“I look forward with great anticipation to building on the extraordinary work Lee Harrington and the board of the LAEDC have done in promoting business growth and the creation of quality jobs throughout Los Angeles County. I truly believe that the vibrant, diverse and entrepreneurial L.A. business community has no greater friend or champion than the LAEDC,” Allen said in a statement.

The organization serves as the chief economic development and economic analysis group for Los Angeles County. It helps retain businesses and provides overall economic development strategy for the county and its 88 cities.

Harrington, 59, retired from the Southern California Gas Co. in 1995 to take on the chief executive post with the organization. In 2001, he also assumed the role of chief executive of the World Trade Center Association when it merged into the economic development group.

Harrington said Wednesday that he had informed the organization’s board in mid-2004 that he wanted to retire within two years but will maintain some involvement after leaving the vice chairman post in June. He said he also intends to pursue other projects, including spending time on a joint-venture oil and gas exploration project in Oklahoma and finishing building a house in Santa Barbara.

In a related announcement, the organization’s board also named international business consultant Stephen Harper as president of the World Trade Center Association of Los Angeles-Long Beach, a subsidiary.