New economic development chief awaits confirmation

 

Dennis Mullen, former president and CEO of Greater Rochester Enterprise, was tapped to be president and CEO of the Empire State Development Corp. by Gov. David Paterson in June. As of this writing, however, the state Senate is still in limbo. And so, Mullen”™s appointment, along with dozens of others, is awaiting Senate confirmation.

Mullen served as the upstate chairman of the ESDC, with Marisa Lago heading up the downstate portion, and Robert Wilmers, former chairman of Buffalo-based M&T Bank, selected to head up the agency, which was in chaos after the abrupt resignation of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer and the subsequent departure of several key officials.

The Greater Rochester Enterprise that Mullen headed is a public-private regional economic development partnership.
Wilmers was appointed by Paterson in August 2008. Beyond news of his appointment and perceived capacity to unite the state”™s economic development, Wilmers remained unable to gain real footing in Albany during one of the capital”™s more chaotic eras and now is gone.  

In published reports, Wilmers privately expressed frustration with “musical chairs” politics going on at all levels in Gov. David Paterson”™s administration, saying not only was his own agency dealing with infighting, but that the ESDC could not get Albany”™s attention long enough to get anything done.

According to Warner Johnston, vice president of public relations for the ESDC, Mullen will merge the upstate-downstate regions back into one. Challenges include Mullen weighing in on how he plans to reunite the divided state and to revitalize the sagging ESDC. He could not be reached for comment and, as yet, is not officially heading the agency.

For one long-time ESDC watcher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, “The ESDC, in a single word, is a disaster. Mullen has been a good dealmaker and could move things forward, but there”™s no policy to move forward. What especially concerns me is what will happen to the Empire Zones ”“ what will replace them, and who will set policy? Nobody is willing to take a leadership position.”

Paterson recently announced funding for infrastructure, investment and downtown revitalization, to be administered through the ESDC: $120 million will be channeled through the Upstate Regional Blueprint Fund, with $35 million going to the Downstate Revitalization Fund. While the June 15 application deadline has passed, those who want to try to grab the brass ring will have three more chances: applications are due by September 15; third round, December 15; and to be considered in the fourth and final round, applications are due by March 15, 2010. To date, nearly $17 million has been given to various infrastructure projects, none in the six-county mid-Hudson region.