Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro García Padilla appointed Victor Suárez Melendez as his new chief of staff.
Suárez Melendez is replacing Ingrid Vila Biaggi, who on Sept. 17 announced her intention to step down on Sept. 19, the day the governor announced the appointment.
As chief of staff, Vila Biaggi was the highest paid person in the governor's office, earning substantially more than her boss.
As well as serving as advisor to the governor, she worked on a wide range of fronts. She worked to protect the environment, change the electrical system, and aid marginal groups. She led a committee of citizens from several fields to develop ideas to improve Puerto Rico's economy and society. She negotiated austerity measures with government unions. And she oversaw the writing of Puerto Rico's four-year economic plan.
Suárez Melendez will likely also serve in a similarly broad capacity, though both the governor and Suárez Melendez indicated he may focus on economic issues.
Suárez Melendez has worked as an operations manager for Colgate-Palmolive and an attorney in private practice. He worked as a consultant in project management, organizational restructuring and the development of performance indicators.
Suárez Melendez served as the Secretary General of the governor's party, the Popular Democratic Party. He was deputy mayor of the city of Carolina, Puerto Rico. From 2007 to 2009 he was secretary of Puerto Rico's department of consumer affairs.
Most recently he has been serving as chair of the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and director of the District Authority Convention Center. In his new position as chief of staff he will resign the ports position but will retain the convention position.
"I will give continuity to the projects initiated by this administration, will demand results and facilitate those that promote public and private investment," Suárez Melendez said. "Everything surrounding the economic development of our country - that is our priority."
