Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee appointed four members of the business community last week to the board of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corp.
The corporation is the state’s lead economic development agency. Earlier this month the newly elected governor announced that the EDC would retain Keith Stokes as its executive director.
The governor serves as the corporation’s chairman.
Chafee appointed Helena Buonanno Foulkes, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Woonsocket-based CVS Caremark, a pharmacy chain, as the corporation’s first female vice chair.
Foulkes will preside over the EDC board in the governor’s absence and assist him with his economic development agenda.
“Helena Foulkes will bring a wealth of business experience and a fresh perspective to the RIEDC board,” Chafee said in a release. “Helena understands that economic recovery requires a disciplined focus on taking advantage of our state’s many existing infrastructure assets, including the Interlink Train Station, which will spur development in Warwick’s Station District.”
Chafee’s other board appointees are Jerauld Adams, owner of North American Industries Inc., a real estate firm; Jack Templin, an internet consultant and entrepreneur; and Stanley Weiss, principal at Stanley Weiss Associates LLC, a real estate development firm.
