|
John Risio, USA Niagara
(716) 284-2556
Katie Krawczyk, Empire State Development
(716) 846-8247
4/9/2009
USA NIAGARA APPOINTS DENNIS MULLEN AS SUBSIDIARY CHAIRMAN
The Board of Directors of the USA Niagara Development Corporation (USAN) today appointed Dennis M. Mullen as chairman of the State economic development agency serving downtown Niagara Falls. Mr. Mullen currently serves as Upstate President of Empire State Development (ESD), USAN’s parent organization. In his new role as USAN Chairman, Mr. Mullen will help lead USAN’s development agenda and activities to further strengthen economic growth and stability in downtown Niagara Falls.
“We are thrilled to have Dennis serve as USAN’s chairman,” said Joan Aul, USAN Board Member and a Vice President of M&T Bank. “Providing such a quality person as Dennis to help carry USAN’s mission forward is only further evidence of Governor Paterson’s commitment to redeveloping Niagara Falls.”
“On behalf of the staff at USAN, I want to thank Dennis for his continued leadership and for serving as our next chairman,” said Christopher Schoepflin, USAN President. “USAN takes its role in the community very seriously and we feel privileged to have the support of Governor Paterson, ESD and our Board of Directors.”
As the Upstate President of ESD, Mr. Mullen oversees all of the Regional Offices, the new Business Development Department, Tourism/I LOVE NEW YORK, the Governor’s Office of Motion Picture & Television and several specialized economic programs, including Empire Zones. In addition, the following ESD subsidiaries report to Mr. Mullen: USAN, Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC) and Harriman Research Campus Development Corporation (HRTDC).
Before joining ESD in September 2008, Mr. Mullen served as president and CEO of Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE). Under Mr. Mullen’s leadership, GRE focused on marketing Rochester’s core assets – alternative energy, biotechnology, food and beverage manufacturing and optics – in an effort to attract new business to the area.
Prior to Mr. Mullen’s role in economic development, he worked for more than 28 years in the food industry in a number of senior leadership positions, most recently serving for a decade as the chairman, president and CEO of Birds Eye Foods. He spearheaded an aggressive acquisition strategy which doubled the size of the company. In addition to his tenure as chairman, president and CEO of Birds Eye Foods, he also served as president and CEO of three other food enterprises including Globe Products Companies, Nalley’s Fine Foods and Comstock Foods.
USAN, a subsidiary of Empire State Development Corporation, is solely dedicated to the support and promotion of economic development initiatives in Niagara Falls by leveraging private investment and encouraging growth and renewal of the tourism industry in the City of Niagara Falls.
# # #
| 
