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Acting MARAD Administrator
Makes First Visit to Quonset
 | | QDC's Steven King and Acting MARAD Administrator Paul "Chip" Jaenichen tour the Port of Davisville |
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Acting Maritime Administrator, Paul "Chip" Jaenichen, made his first visit to Quonset Business Park on Monday since assuming his new position at the start of June. The acting administrator got a close up look at the Park which now has more than 175 companies, 9,100 jobs, and hosts the 7th largest auto importer in North America. The visit was part of a daylong program iniated by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse to showcase Rhode Island's ports and their role in helping Rhode Island's economy grow.  Senator Whitehouse stressed the importance of the event. "Today's visit provided Acting Administrator Jaenichen with an opportunity to see how the Port of Davisville is leveraging federal resources to improve its infrastructure and modernize its operations. These efforts will help bring more business to the state and create jobs for Rhode Island workers," said U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. The visit follows the Quonset Development Corporation's recent announcement that 100% of the $22.3 million in federal TIGER grant improvements to the Port of Davisville are complete. Along with Sen. Whitehouse, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed and U.S. Rep. James Langevin were instrumental in securing the grants.
Administered by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), the TIGER grants helped purchase a new mobile harbor crane, and financed more than 3.5 acres of platform improvements to the Pier 2 loading area. The TIGER improvements are designed to expand port business at Davisville, with the new crane seen as the last key element required for the Port to become active in the short sea shipping industry.
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RIEDC Board of Directors Impressed
by Quonset's Progress
Quonset Business Park is one of Rhode Island's leading economic engines of business growth in the state, with more than 3,000 new jobs since 2007. This year Quonset was chosen by Leadership RI to be the focus of their year long program to identify what lessons from the Park's growth can be applied in other parts of the state.
On Monday, the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) chose to have their newest board members visit Quonset Business Park for their June board meeting. Prior to the meeting the RIEDC board members participated in an hour- long tour of the Park, which gave them an overview of the 175 businesses that now reside in Quonset Business Park, and the hundreds of millions of dollars of infrastructure
 | | Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee |
improvements that have been made there since the creation of the Quonset Development Corporation in 2005.
Governor Lincoln D. Chafee, who also serves as the Chairman of the RIEDC board said, "Quonset Business Park and the Port of Davisville are real Rhode Island success stories. Despite the challenges we have faced during the difficult economy, Quonset continued to be a bright spot for our state."
"We need to ensure that we keep the momentum going at Quonset," Governor Chafee added.
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Math and Science Skills, the Focus of Commissioner Gist's Visit to Quonset and Hayward Industries
 | | Commissioner Deborah Gist tours Hayward Industries with QDC's Steven J. King and Hayward's Bob Hughes |
Rhode Island Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist took the tour of Quonset Business Park last week and stopped at Hayward Industries (formerly Goldline Controls) to discuss the importance of math and science skills in building Rhode Island's workforce. Hayward Industries manufactures state-of-the-art devices for both residential and commercial pools. The QDC estimates that more than 40 percent of the workforce at the Park is in the manufacturing sector. To learn more about the Commissioner's visit, click here.
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Quonset is Home to Troop 5
For the past ten years, Troop 5 of North Kingstown has had a home at Building 7 in Quonset Business Park. The troop is a member of the Narragansett Council Boy Scouts of America, and is chartered by the North Kingstown Rotary Club.
 | Troop 5 Honors Quonset Business Park with
Certificate of Appreciation |
Building 7 is the place where Troop 5 gathered for weekly meetings, learned important outdoor skills, and bonded with their fellow Scouts. And while their presence at Quonset Business Park will continue for many years to come, starting this summer the troop will gather at a new spot when they move their home-base to the Seabees Museum in the Quonset Gateway District.
Prior to that move, Troop 5 recently presented the QDC with a certificate of appreciation for use of the space in Building 7 for their troop over the last ten years. Quonset Business Park is proud to host Troop 5 and we wish them well in their new home.
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