Gov. Donald Carcieri last week appointed Ioanna Morfessis as executive director of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corp., subject to state Senate approval.
“Ioanna is considered one of the best economic development executives in the country, with a proven track record in attracting and retaining businesses,” Carcieri said in a press release. “We are fortunate to have someone of Ioanna’s caliber to lead our economic development strategy.”
RIDEC is a quasi-public agency that implements state economic development policies and provides incentives to businesses.
Morfessis is the president of IO Inc., an Arizona-based strategic consulting firm she founded in 2004 that advises businesses, higher education institutions, nonprofits and economic development organizations.
Prior to IO, Morfessis was president and chief executive officer of the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore, an organization that worked with the public and private sector to attract business to the area.
She came to Baltimore from Arizona where she had run a similarly tasked organization called the Greater Phoenix Economic Council from 1989 to 1997. She also served as director of economic development in Montgomery County, Md. from 1980 to 1985.
Morfessis earned a Ph.D. in economics and economic development from Arizona State University, a Master of Public Administration from George Washington University and her undergraduate decree from American University in Washington, D.C.
