Empire State Development to start over again - Business First of Columbus:

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New York, according to most of the 25 executives in washardly business-friendly. Those concerns heightened a day latedr when Paterson announced thatRobergt Wilmers, chairman and CEO, was resigning as chairman of Empir e State Development Corp. Wilmers’ resignation came just days aftertthe agency’s president, Marisa Lago, left the state’z primary economic development The resignations left former Birds Eye Food executive, wearing dual economi c development hats for the Paterson has nominated Mullenm to serve as Empire State Development chairman and CEO, as well as commissionerf of the Department of Economic Development.
Both appointmentsa are pendingstate lawmakers’ approval. “I expecyt people to hold me accountable,” Mullen said. “The top sets the Mullen said he hopes his appointment ends the revolving door at EmpireeState Development, which has seen three chairmenn and three presidents in the past 30 months. “Politicalk appointees seem to change everysix weeks,” said Mark Dettmer, Starboarf Sun Corp. managing director and founder. He is working with the developmeny agency to craft an incentive package that could see significantg wind power technology created in the BuffaloiNiagara region. The Tonawanda-based Starboar d Sun is courting European investors forthe project.
Dettmerd used the Greatbatch roundtable to talk directly to Paterson and Mullen about his project and to express frustration that Empir e StateDevelopment isn’t responding quickly enough to his “Real deals are sitting there,” he said. Patersonj and Mullen both said they will follow up with him and soon. “If they don’t, it will be their Dettmer said. Mullen said he want s to make Starboard Sun a poster child for the Empire StateDevelopment Corp. – one that responds quicklyu to private-sector requests. “We have to do a betterf job of listening,” Mullen said.
When Patersojn named Wilmers to the ESD chairmanshiplast summer, local officialz were hoping for two things: a more nimble agency and one with a direc t Upstate focus. Mullen, who lives in said he will make good on both ofthosde pledges. For now, many are taking a wait-and-see “It was probably not a good thing to see BobWilmersa resign, especially with everything that’s going on in Albany,” said Davisd Chiazza, executive vice president of “He was but more importantly, Bob Wilmers has a very crediblw and powerful voice. It’s never good when we lose someonee with that levelof Wilmers’ resignation was not a shock.
It had been the subjecgt of street buzz in economifc development circles sinceearly spring. In a press Wilmers said the national economic landscape played heavilgy intohis decision. New York is facing a projected $24.89 billion budget deficit this year, in large part due to Wall Street’sw meltdown.