BREAKING NEWS: Chafee Keeping Stokes
Monday, January 10, 2011
Governor Lincoln Chafee today announced he is retaining Keith Stokes as the director of the Economic Development Corporation.
Stokes’ future in that role was in doubt after Chafee publicly criticized the EDC’s plan to give a $75 million loan guarantee to Curt Schilling’s video game company. The announcement today comes after GoLocalProv reported earlier this morning that Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed had gone to bat for Stokes’ job.
“Keith Stokes shares my vision of encouraging the success of small business while building on Rhode Island’s economic assets….from the soon to be developed Station District in Warwick and the Knowledge District in Providence to our defense industry on Aquidneck Island and our impressive tourism industry,” Chafee said. “I feel confident that Keith recognizes what Rhode Island needs to enter a new era of job creation and economic growth.”
Stokes has served as EDC executive director for a year. Prior to his appointment he was executive director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce for 15 years. He had also been a board member of the EDC since the early 1990s.
“I thank Governor Chafee for giving me the opportunity to continue to lead this organization,” Stokes said. “I look forward to working with Governor Chafee and his team to develop and implement a comprehensive economic development strategy to create sustainable, quality jobs and position Rhode Island for long-term economic growth. Following Governor Chafee’s call to bring people together to meet common challenges, I will continue to engage the business, labor, environmental, scientific and education communities in a common cause to find the right solutions that will move Rhode Island’s economy forward.”
