Board of Directors
(Chair)
(Chair)
Chairwoman Elizabeth (“Liz”) Tanner was appointed Rhode Island Secretary of Commerce in June 2022, under Governor Daniel McKee. In that role, she administers the Executive Office of Commerce, the state agency charged with promoting commerce and fostering an economic environment in which Rhode Island’s businesses can grow and prosper. Secretary Tanner oversees multiple state departments and quasi-governmental agencies. Among those, are the Department of Business Regulation, of which she was Director before she was appointed as Secretary, and the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, a quasi-state agency that collaborates with public, private, and nonprofit partners to offer consulting and funding assistance to businesses. Known as a problem-solver with a passion for making it easier to do business in Rhode Island, Liz is a fierce advocate for governmental efficiency.
Lauren Burgess is currently the Director of Legislative and Government Relations at the University of Rhode Island. Her background includes seven years as a registered lobbyist and consultant on Capitol Hill, as well as a former aide to U.S. Rep. James Langevin. Lauren is a founding member of the State Society of Rhode Island and serves on the Town of Barrington’s Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. She earned her law degree from Roger Williams University and is a licensed attorney in New York state.
Donald D. Gralnek brings decades of experience to the Quonset Board of Directors in his numerous roles on Boards and in the higher education field. He is the former Executive Director of the Providence Redevelopment Agency (PRA). During his time at the PRA, he also served as the Executive Director of the Providence Business Loan Fund. Prior to his involvement in these organizations, Gralnek was appointed the Executive Vice President & General Counsel for the National Hockey League’s San Jose Sharks and Sharks Sports & Entertainment. Gralnek has taught at the Roger Williams University School of Business, the University of California Berkeley, and San Jose University. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Stanford University in 1967 with a BA in History, and he received his Juris Doctorate from the Berkeley School of Law in 1970. Gralnek also received his Master in City Planning (M.C.P) degree from the College of Environmental Design at the University of California Berkeley in 1971.
J. William “Bill” Harsch has been a practicing attorney for more than four decades. His current practice is in governmental law, regulation, and citizen group and municipal representation. Harsch has held senior position in both the Rhode Island and federal governments. These include serving as Chairman of the R.I. Public Utilities Commission (PUC), and Director of the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) which he organized. At the federal level he directed the President’s Reorganization Project (PRP) for Energy, Environment and Natural Resources and managed the establishment of both the U.S. Synthetic Fuels Corporation (SFC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He had previously served as Legislative Assistant to Senator Steven M. Young of Ohio and Administrative Assistant to Congressman Frank E. Evans of Colorado. He also served on the staff of Governor Philip W. Noel after directing the GeoTransport Foundation (GTF) on behalf of Senator Clairborne Pell and G. William Miller, CEO of Textron. He is a graduate of Williams College and Harvard Law School.
David Langlais was appointed to serve on the Quonset Development Corporation Board of Directors by Governor Dan McKee. He has been with Ironworkers Local 37, located in Providence RI, since 1990 and currently serves as the Business Manager and Financial Secretary/ Treasurer. David has also been an instructor and coordinator for Local 37’s apprenticeship program and, at present, sits on the RI State Apprenticeship Council. He also currently serves as Vice President on both the Rhode Island Building & Construction Trades Council and Rhode Island Metal Trades Council.
Adam J. Lupino is an International Representative for the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) New England Region, assigned to the six New England States and New York. A member of Laborers’ Local Union 271 in Providence, Mr. Lupino was appointed to serve as Regional Policy Coordinator for the Laborers’ New England Region Organizing Fund (LNEROF) in 2007. He earned a B.A. from the University of Connecticut and a Master of Science in Labor Relations and Human Resources from the University of Rhode Island. He serves as a Trustee on the New England Laborers’ Labor-Management Cooperation Trust (NELLMCT), on the Board of Directors of the Cranston H.S. West Alumni Association, and is active in the community.
Matthew McCoy is a member of the North Kingstown Town Council. He was first elected in November 2022 and re-elected in November 2024. Since May 2022, he has served as one of the Town of North Kingstown’s two appointed members of the Quonset Development Corporation Board of Directors. He is the founder and Managing Director of J2 Research and Analysis, LLC, a consulting firm based in North Kingstown. He enlisted in the United States Navy in July 1980 and served on active duty for 23 years until his retirement as a Lieutenant in October 2003. He worked in the Navy’s Zumwalt-class destroyer program as a Principal Systems Engineer for Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, retiring in January 2016. In 2017, he was appointed by Governor Gina M. Raimondo to serve as the State Coordinator and Commissioner on the Rhode Island World War One Centennial Commission. In 2024, he served as the Chairman of the North Kingstown 350th Anniversary Steering Committee. McCoy served as the Vice Chairman of the Rhode Island Committee of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. He is a Silver Legacy Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and is currently serving as the National Legislative Committee member for the Department of Rhode Island. McCoy holds a BS degree in Business Administration from Excelsior College and an MBA degree in Engineering and Technology Management from Northcentral University.
Susan Riley has worked in business for more than 20 years, starting her newest position as a graduate career coach at the Providence College School of Business in July 2021. There Ms. Riley works with MBA and MSBA students on individual professional development, career searches, and transitions, as well as creating and hosting workshops that cover networking, interviewing, career planning, storytelling, and social media profiles. Ms. Riley worked as a lecturer at the University of Rhode Island College of Business, Innovation and Entrepreneurship from 2013 to 2021. Ms. Riley worked as an adjunct professor at Johnson and Wales University from 2009 to 2014. She served as owner and partner at Moonstone Partners in Providence from 2007 to 2014, where she developed seminar series on corporate culture specifically designed to assist young women in their entry into the marketplace. Ms. Riley also worked as director of client relations at Outside GC in Boston from 2008 to 2009, before which she served as corporate counsel and director of global business development at IGT in Providence.
Eric Shorter is an executive-level real estate finance/investment professional specializing in structuring, sourcing, managing, and closing multi-family and commercial real estate transactions. Mr. Shorter has over 20 years of diverse transactional experience, including affordable housing, tax credit equity investing, new markets tax credit equity investing, originations and business development, debt underwriting, and commercial real estate. In the last 15 years, Mr. Shorter has originated, directed, underwrote, or closed over $1B in community-focused transactions using various debt, equity, and tax credit structures. Mr. Shorter has held various leadership roles within the community development finance industry. Most recently, he was Director of Development for Rhode Island Housing, Rhode Island’s Housing State Finance Agency where he was responsible for the daily operation of RIHousing’s multi-family lending platform, including all community development investment and loan programs such as the issuance of taxable and tax-exempt bonds for multi-family development.
Randy Wietman retired from the US Navy with the rank of Commander in 2012. Sea duty assignments included several combatant and supply ships. Ashore he taught gas turbine engineering and developed curriculum at the Surface Warfare Officers School. During OEF/OIF, managed the establishment of Military Sealift Command’s husbanding and port operations in Kuwait. As the Director of the Navy’s Voluntary Education Dept, led the program that helped sailors plan and complete their personal and professional college education goals. Assigned ultimately to teach National Security Decision Making at the US Naval War College, where he wrote extensively on the topic of Emergency Management. Upon retirement, accepted a civilian assignment at the US Naval War College as the International Military Student Support Officer. Wietman also has a manufacturing background with Texas Instruments where he was a Manufacturing Supervisor, responsible for the development and implementation of all production for several General Motors OEM product lines.
Wietman holds a BA in Public Administration from St. Mary’s University, a MS in Industrial Relations from the University of Rhode Island, and a MA in Adult Education from the University of Rhode Island.
Since retiring from the US Navy, Wietman has served the town of North Kingstown as Chairman of the North Kingstown Zoning Board of Review, President of Historic Wickford (HistWick), Board Member for NK Sewer Appeals, Board Member for NK Charter Review Commission, and Board Member of NK 350th Anniversary Committee. He was appointed to the board of the Quonset Development Corporation in December of 2024 as a representative of the Town of North Kingstown
*Subject to confirmation by the Rhode Island Senate.
Michael Sweeney is the president and co-founding shareholder of Duffy & Sweeney, a leading boutique business law firm headquartered in Providence.
Mike leads the mergers and acquisitions practice where he regularly handles mergers, sales and business acquisitions as well as recapitalizations and equity financings. He serves as general corporate counsel to a number of privately held, mid-market businesses. He is a frequent speaker and writer on contemporary middle-market strategies for companies.
Mike is recognized annually by key ranking organizations including Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers and Chambers USA: America’s Leading Guide for Business, among others. He was recognized by Best Lawyers as the 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” — for the fifth time — for Mergers and Acquisition Law. Previously, he was named “Lawyer of the Year” for the practice areas of Closely-Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, and Corporate Law.
*Subject to confirmation by the Rhode Island Senate.
Meeting Information
The Quonset Development Corporation Board of Directors typically meets every third Tuesday at 5:00 pm in the Annex Building at 95 Cripe Street, North Kingstown, Rhode Island. All meetings are open to the public.
Public Records Request
The Quonset Development Corporation instituted procedures for the public to obtain public records as outlined in the Access to Public Records Act, R.I. Gen. Laws §38-2-1, et. seq.
