WPRO Newsroom

Governor Lincoln Chafee announced four nominees for the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) Board of Directors Thursday.

They are Shannon Brawley, Dr. Nancy Carriuolo, Roland Fiore and Jason Kelly. The Governor also reappointed current EDC board member George Nee.

“These nominees reflect my commitment to changing the focus and priorities of the EDC,” Chafee said in a statement. “We are going to do all we can to help existing Rhode Island businesses – many of them small businesses – succeed and grow. And we are going to continue to improve our economy by building upon Rhode Island’s strengths and assets and investing in the fundamentals, such as education."

Chafee said the nominees bring with them strengths in various key sectors.

"This is a new direction for the RIEDC and, I believe, a more promising path to a stronger economy for Rhode Island," he said.

Shannon Brawley is the executive director of the Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Association. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Rhode Island Agricultural Partnership and is a member of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Green Economy Working Group.

Dr. Nancy Carriuolo is the President of Rhode Island College and is newly elected to the Board of Trustees for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Roland Fiore has been President of South County Sand & Gravel Co., Inc. in South Kingstown. He currently serves as secretary for the Rhode Island Builders Association.

Jason Kelly is the executive vice president of Moran Shipping Agencies. He is a board member for Growsmart RI and a Providence Foundation Trustee.

George Nee, a current EDC board member, is the president of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO.

The announcement of the nominees comes just more than a week after three board members made moves to leave the EDC, which has dwindled since 38 Studios defaulted on a $75 million EDC loan.