Page 38 - Delaware 222 - 2025

Megan McGlinchey
Riverfront Development
Corporation of Delaware
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Created by the state government
to boost economic vitality along
the Christina River in 1996, the
Riverfront Development Corporation
has been a catalyst for public and
private investment to turn a series
of warehouses into mixed-use land
for residents and businesses. Under
Megan McGlinchey’s leadership, the
RDC has worked on site investigation
and restoration initiatives that have
enhanced and beautifi ed the area
into a tourism hub, starting fi rst with
Frawley Stadium. In the last fi ve years,
she has laid out a $100 million vision
to expand the RDC’s eff orts across the
Christina River in a new project called
Riverfront East. Th at project includes
offi ce space, retail space and 4,000
residential units.
Linda Parkowski
Kent Economic Partnership
ALMA MATERS:
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Q&A:
Bill Pfaff
Sussex County Economic
Development
As the Director of Economic
Development for Sussex County, Bill
Pfaff ’s number one job is to promote
economic growth by focusing on the
retention, expansion, and attraction
of new businesses and industries
as well as creating jobs. He also
provides the resources that enable
development to advance the overall
well-being of our community. Pfaff is
dedicated to creating and fostering an
entrepreneurial culture that generates
opportunities for commercial and
industrial development. Th is ensures
business owners and residents benefi t
from Sussex's evolving economy, strong
labor force and high-quality living and
working environment.
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36 DELAWARE 222 | DelawareBusinessTimes.com
36 DELAWARE 222 | DelawareBusinessTimes.com
36 DELAWARE 222 | DelawareBusinessTimes.com
Kent Economic Partnership is focused
on attracting and retaining businesses
in central Delaware, which boasts
of a hour and a half drive to D.C.,
Philadelphia and New York. Roughly
60% of the U.S. population is within
a three-hour radius of Kent County.
Linda Parkowski was named executive
director of the KEP in 2018, after the
nonprofi t was reorganized. Under
her leadership, Kent County has
helped draw a $80 million corrugated
box plant and is focusing eff orts on
drawing warehouse tenants to East
Dover, among other initiatives.
Q&A:
Bill Provine
The Innovation Space
Th e Innovation Space is a nonprofi t
innovation ecosystem and home
to leading science-based startups
and entrepreneurs. Located on the
Experimental Station campus near
Wilmington, the 130,000-square-
foot lab and offi ce space off ers
entrepreneurs access to state-of-
the art space with cutting-edge
scientifi c equipment alongside a
suite of entrepreneurship programs
and support services to enable
rapid growth of resident companies.
Under the leadership of founding
leader Bill Provine, Th e Innovation
Space attracted and helped develop
companies like Prelude Th erapeutics,
Versogen, Synnovation Th erapeutics,
NiKang Th erapeutics, and Napigen. As
of 2024, “the start-up farm” broke $1.2
billion in funding and has helped to
raise Delaware’s profi le as one of the
best places for startups.
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