Rhode Island Economic Policy Council
About
The Rhode Island Economic Policy Council, a coalition of business and community leadership, serves to advise the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation on economic issues affecting the state of Rhode Island and provide public and private sector support for priority economic development programs.
A key focus of the EPC is to support the RIEDC’s 2008 Economic Growth Plan. The plan seeks to:
- Increase the Number of High-wage Jobs in Target Sectors
- Increase the Availability of Growth Capital to Rhode Island Businesses
- Increase the Availability of Office and Commercial Space
- Increase the Skills and Experience of the Rhode Island Workforce
- Increase Research Activity and New Company Creation
- Decrease the Tax and Regulatory Burden Facing Rhode Island Businesses
Working with the RIEDC, the council helps provide objective analysis of the challenges facing the state's economy and mobilizes public and private resources for critical initiatives.
In 2008 Governor Donald L. Carcieri consolidated the EPC into an advisory council for the RIEDC. Consolidating EPC and RIEDC created closer alignment around a single economic development strategy, sharpened the state’s focus on priority programs and reduced costs associated with operating the council.
Council Members
The EPC convenes senior leaders from business, labor, higher education and government, including Governor Donald L. Carcieri and the Rhode Island General Assembly.
The council consists of up to 25 council members. Four members are statutory: the Governor, Executive Director of the RIEDC, Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader. The remaining council members are chosen by the governor.
Chair
Donald L. Carcieri, Governor of Rhode Island
Members
- Charles T. Bush, Vice President, Seapower Capability Systems – Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems
- Robert Carothers, President, University of Rhode Island
- Paul J. Choquette, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Gilbane
- David Cicilline, Mayor, City of Providence
- Paul J. Cronin, Vice President and Region Manager, Cox Communications
- Michael DiBiase, Senior Vice President, Fidelity Investments
- Ray Di Pasquale, President, Community College of Rhode Island
- Gordon D. Fox, House Majority Leader, State of Rhode Island
- Kimball Hall, Vice President and General Manager, Amgen
- William Hatfield, President, Rhode Island Bank of America
- John Hazen White, Jr., CEO, Taco
- Tim Hebert, CEO, Atrion Networking and Chair of Tech Collective
- Elizabeth Huidekoper, CFO, Brown University
- Saul Kaplan, Executive Director, Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation
- Ronald Machtley, President, Bryant University
- Joseph MarcAurele, Rhode Island President, Citizens Financial Group
- Joseph A. Montalbano, President of the Senate, State of Rhode Island
- George Nee, Secretary-Treasurer, Rhode Island AFL-CIO
- John J. Partridge, Esq., Founder, Partridge Snow and Hahn LLP
- David B. Rickard, EVP/CFO and Chief Administration Officer, CVS Corporation
- Michael Ryan, Executive Vice President, National Grid
- Gary Sasse, Director, Rhode Island Department of Revenue
- Steven Sepe, MD., Senior Director, Medical Affairs, Vertex Pharmaceuticals
- Shivan Subramaniam, Chairman and CEO, FM Global
- George Vecchione, President and CEO, Lifespan Corporation
- Laurie White, President, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce
- Robert Valentini, MD., Myomics