Projo Politics Blog

By Katherine Gregg, Journal State House Bureau

The former head of the Rhode Island Economic Policy Council has landed the top spot in the Urban Redevelopment Commission for Stamford, Conn., the city from whence he first came to the Ocean State a decade ago.

Christopher "Kip" Bergstrom began work in Connecticut as the commission's executive director in mid July, to fill a $120,000 position left in limbo since March after the federal indictment of Constance "Gerrie" Post. Post has pleaded not guilty to mail fraud and conspiracy charges connected with her previous job in Mount Vernon, N.Y. She has been on unpaid leave since March 29.

Bergstrom served as Stamford's first economic development director from 1993 to 1998, when he was instrumental in the relocation of UBS to the city, according to the Stamford Advocate.

Bergstrom left his Rhode Island job earlier this year after Governor Carcieri merged the policy council with the Economic Development Corporation, a second agency responsible for growing the state's economy:

The reoganization eliminated the council's four staff members at a time of anemic job growth and falling real-estate values in Rhode Island. Bergstrom did not take a job at the EDC.

He has master's degrees in city and regional planning from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government and Graduate School of Design.

 Tags  Christopher Bergstrom Gregg Rhode Island economic policy council Stamford Urban Redevelopment Commission

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