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De Blasio Appoints First Woman to Head Economic Development Corporation

By Jeff Mays | June 29, 2015 6:21pm
 Former Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer (Left) with Sherri Royes, a Coney Island resident and the owner of Chef Sherri's Catering. Torres-Springer was named the first woman to head the city's Economic Development Corporation Monday.
Former Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer (Left) with Sherri Royes, a Coney Island resident and the owner of Chef Sherri's Catering. Torres-Springer was named the first woman to head the city's Economic Development Corporation Monday.
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SBS

CITY HALL — Mayor Bill de Blasio named Commissioner for Small Business Services Maria Torres-Springer to serve as the first woman to head the city's Economic Development Corporation Monday.

Torres-Springer will replace Kyle Kimball, a holdover from the Bloomberg administration who resigned in March and was named Con Ed's vice president for government relations last week.

“Maria has a proven track-record opening doors for New Yorkers and working closely with businesses to grow our economy," de Blasio said in a statement. "Maria will focus on growing vital sectors in our economy, and preparing New Yorkers to seize those opportunities so they can be a part of our economic success story.”

Torres-Springer formerly served as an executive vice-president at EDC. At SBS, she is credited with helping to launch Women Entrepreneurs NYC, an effort to boost the number of women entrepreneurs across the city.

"Our city is powered by the strongest economic engines in the world, and I am thrilled to advance an economic development agenda that fights inequality and helps lift up every New Yorker,” Torres-Springer said.

Among the initiatives Torres-Springer is expected to tackle are the development of the tech, manufacturing and life sciences industries in the city.