5Q: Mark Huang

 / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO
/ PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

1What are your top initiatives as Providence’s new economic-development director?

Spurring economic development in Providence through an emphasis on job creation and business retention. … Providence has many phenomenal resources such as the I-195 land … and we must devise comprehensive plans to harness these assets. … Providence must be advertised as the primary example of a city prospering from its knowledge-based economy. It’s time to seize opportunities to own and lead in major emerging sectors, instead of trying to play catch-up with other cities.

2 How do you plan to execute on these initiatives?

We have been working closely with the state to highlight Providence and all of Rhode Island as a place with exciting resources and opportunities. We have also begun to further examine possible ways to leverage partnerships with our institutional resources, such as our colleges and universities. This is the beginning of what I see as a marathon.

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3 What about your professional background makes you qualified for this position?

I have dedicated my career to finding big opportunities and exceeding expectations. I have worked in corporate business development for the last 16 years. … As the senior vice president of GE Financial Services, co-founding partner of Novus Energy Partners, and co-founder of Tolero Ventures, a major function of mine was to analyze and predict market trends.

4 Will your experience working in the clean-tech industry play a role in future economic-development strategies for the city?

The clean-tech industry provides numerous examples and models of success. What is fascinating about this industry is that some of the technology has dropped in cost to where it does not need government subsidies or very little of it.

5 Providence is often perceived as a difficult city for economic development. How do you plan to change this image?

We are bringing the experience of doing business in Providence to the cutting edge and building tools to compete in a global economy. The city’s chief innovation officer, Nicole Pollock, has spearheaded innovation for efficient and streamlined processes. … The mayor has also created a business concierge position … to help investors. •

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