The president and COO of the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation is leaving her job next week.
Hilary Fagan, best known for overseeing business development at the state’s economic development agency, is moving into consulting with a focus on the energy industry. Her last day is Dec. 2.
Bill Ash will serve as interim president, according to a spokesman.
Fagan flies under the radar, but she is viewed as one of the people who helped make the commerce corporation one of the most important agencies in state government during former governor Gina Raimondo’s tenure. She oversaw business development before being made president and COO earlier this year, and helped to accelerate the growth of the offshore wind and life science industries.
Advertisement
Fagan’s departure gives Governor Dan McKee another key job opening in commerce as he prepares to be sworn in for a full four-year term. Stefan Pryor, the former secretary of commerce, left earlier this year to run for state treasurer, but he lost in the Democratic primary. He was replaced by Liz Tanner.
Pryor hasn’t revealed his next plans, but his name has been floated as a blue economy czar for the state.
This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, data about the coronavirus in the state, and more. If you’d like to receive it via e-mail Monday through Friday, you can sign up here.
Dan McGowan can be reached at dan.mcgowan@globe.com. Follow him @danmcgowan.