Four New EDC Board Members Named

Email to a friend Permalink

Friday, January 28, 2011

GoLocalProv Business Team

Governor Lincoln Chafee has named four new members of the board of the Economic Development Corporation. The appointments are made at a critical time in the state's history.

With the state facing a significant budget shortfall, unemployment at 11.5% and recent news of the lack of improvement in critical education measures - the need for swift and significant economic development is critical. This week's news the Rhode Island ranked last in science achievement tests is a blow to future of Rhode Island's ability to develop a work force aligned with future job growth. (See: Fed Report on Future Job Growth in New England)

Named to the board was a senior executive at CVS Caremark Corp, Helena Buonanno Foulkes - a member of the Governor's transition team. She will serve as Vice Chair. She is the nice of recently retired US Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) and the granddaughter of former US Senator Thomas Dodd (D-CT). Interestingly, Foulkes' late mother was college roommate of House Minority Leader and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Foulkes will serve as the first female vice chairman of the board. “Helena Foulkes will bring a wealth of business experience and a fresh perspective to the RIEDC Board. I look forward to leveraging her proven leadership ability in my efforts to reshape RIEDC and its activities in the months and years ahead,” Chafee said.

Also named is Jack Templin one of the three partners in Betaspring - the Providence-based technology launching pad for a wide range of technology and media start-ups. Templin was one of GoLocal's 11 to watch in 2011.

Additionally, Jerauld C. Adams, the owner of North American Industries Inc., a real-estate development and management firm and developer Stanley Weiss, principal at Stanley Weiss Associates LLC.