Mullen Named for Upstate Economic Role

By Rachel Ward

Rochester, NY – Dennis Mullen, president and CEO of Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE), has been nominated for Empire State Development Corporation's (ESDC) upstate president position.

Speaking at a press conference with the governor Friday, Mullen said the two challenges that he will face in his new role are creating jobs and providing capital investment, and not just for upstate.

"I was very impressed during my interview process for this particular position in understanding that I'm a part of a team of the Empire State - not necessarily an upstate versus downstate. I believe the governor wants to promote the assets from each of the regions of our state to maximize our ability to create economic development success."

The governor also announced the appointment of executive Marisa Lago to president of Empire State Development Corporation. Lago will face state senate approval, and Mullen will be given the nod by the ESDC's board of directors.

If approved for the nominations, both Lago and Mullen would report to the chair of Empire State Development Corporation, Robert Wilmers. Mullen's salary would be $200,000, and he'd be based in Rochester.

Mullen has a BA in education from St. Leo University in Florida, and served as an executive at Birds Eye Foods before coming to GRE. Paterson says those experiences gave him the know-how to create jobs.

"That's a billion dollar corporation; it had 600 jobs. He managed it very well and has since then has gone to [GRE] that has brought economic development to that particular area. So he has training in the area that he'll be working and obviously he has a particular discipline in the most important aspect of growing businesses which is the ability to create jobs."

Mayor Robert Duffy released a statement congratulating Mullen on his appointment. The mayor says that Mullen has been a "tremendous advocate" for upstate, and state senator Mike Nozzolio says that Mullen is "absolutely the right choice" for the upstate economic czar job.

Mullen is filling the position vacated by Dan Gunderson, who left during a shake-up in the organization of Empire State Development under Governor David Paterson.

Paterson still has to name a downstate leader for economic development.