Gov. Dan McKee is betting on a top executive at Bally’s Corp. to help steer the state’s quasi-public economic development agency.
McKee announced his nomination Wednesday of Tracey Wiley, executive director of diversity, equity and inclusion at Bally’s, to the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation board of directors. If approved by the Rhode Island Senate, Wiley will replace board member Dave Chenevert, whose three-year term expired in February. State law allows appointed members of boards and commissions to continue serving beyond the expiration of their terms until a replacement is named.
“Tracey brings a track record of business acumen and experience that speaks for itself,” McKee said in a statement. “Her background as an entrepreneur and champion of small businesses offers a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Commerce Corporation Board. I look forward to working with her to make our state a more prosperous place for residents, workers, and our economy.”
As part of the 12-member Commerce board of directors, Wiley will help decide how the agency awards its tax credits and economic incentives for small and large businesses, along with marketing initiatives and a student loan repayment program for graduates who work in in-demand fields. McKee also serves as an ex-officio member of the board, only voting to break a tie. For example, in 2022, McKee cast the tie-breaking vote to redirect state tax dollars to help pay for the development of the Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket.
Wiley, in a statement, addressed the importance of entrepreneurship and “diversity of thought.”
“Both our small and large businesses, drawn from all corners of our communities, stand as a testament to this, acting together as the driving force behind economic strength and continued growth,” Wiley said. “I am deeply honored by this appointment from Governor McKee to the Commerce Board and am committed to championing the spirit of inclusivity and collaboration, as we forge a future of shared prosperity.”
Wiley joined Bally’s as a consultant in 2021 and the following year assumed a permanent role leading DEI for the company’s 19 casinos and resorts, including in Tiverton and Lincoln, according to her resume obtained by Rhode Island Current. Prior to that, Wiley worked for six years for the state of Virginia, heading its newly created Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity. Under her direction, the state agency grew its share of contracts awarded to women and minority-owned businesses, and oversaw the distribution of $100 million in federal pandemic grants to 3,000 small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wiley also started her own company, Rainmaker Industries Group LLC, in 2021, which she continues to lead today as “chief experience officer,” according to her LinkedIn page. Her resume describes the LLC as a consultancy of “a collection of her work to leverage relationships for the sole purpose of elevating communities of color and creating access to models that build generational wealth for a diverse people.”
A community activist and 25-year survivor of multiple sclerosis, Wiley serves as chairwoman of the board of trustees for the Virginia and West Virginia chapters of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. She also serves on the board for professional NBA and WNBA teams, the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury, and formerly headed the board of directors for Boston-based former nonprofit Interise, which helps disadvantaged and low-income businesses.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in speech communications from Old Dominion University.
Wiley was also nominated by McKee on April 11 to join the Governor’s Workforce Board. The Rhode Island Senate voted to confirm that appointment on May 8.
The Senate has not yet scheduled a vote on Wiley’s nomination to Commerce, Greg Pare, a Senate spokesperson, said Wednesday.
This story was originally published by the Rhode Island Current.
