The Rhode Island Manufacturers Association (RIMA) endorsed General Treasurer candidate Stefan Pryor Thursday at Taco Comfort Solutions on Cranston Street. RIMA Executive Director David Chenevert made the official announcement.

“The best part about Stefan is he literally listens and implements,” said Chenevert.

Chenevert has gotten to know Pryor over the last five years through Pryor’s position as Rhode Island’s Secretary of Commerce. He said Pryor implemented numerous programs in support of small manufacturing operations including the Innovation Voucher Program, the Qualified Jobs Tax Incentive for Manufacturers, Expansion of the Rebuild Program and enhancing the manufacturing program at Davies Vocational by working with former Governor Gina Raimondo to allocate $3.5 million into the state budget for needed equipment.

With the innovation grants, Pryor and Raimondo worked with RIMA on amending them to allow Sub-S and LLCs to participate in the program; manufacturers were also allowed to develop their own innovation ideas internally in addition to working with Rhode Island’s state colleges.

Additionally, they all worked on the qualified jobs tax incentive for manufacturers which lowered the required job-creation threshold for manufacturers of all types (C-corp, S-corp and LLC).

Cheneverte explained that Pryor also helped with the expansion of the Rebuild Program. In this program, manufacturers would be exempt from the requirements that a project had to be at least 25,000 sq. feet, employ at least 25 full time employees and a project that costs not less than $5 million. Cheneverte said this would allow small manufacturers to apply for tax credits while putting on smaller additions to their facilities and ensuring exemption from the existing guidelines.

“That is huge for a lot of manufacturers,” Chenevert said.

In working with RIMA, Chenevert said Pryor assisted in enhancing the Real Jobs program monetarily as well as its expansion programs – such as the Immersion program; Real Jobs is now part of the state’s statutory budget.

Pryor, Raimondo and RIMA worked together during Covid to keep manufacturing going.

“We worked hand in hand daily with Stefan and the governor to keep manufacturing operating to ensure our economy would not collapse,” Chenevert said.

Following Chenevert’s comments, Pryor’s love for numbers came out when he commented “I’ve got to share out the geeky facts,” followed by a chuckle from the crowd.

He said Rhode Island has more jobs in manufacturing today (40,300) than in February 2020. The same was seen with construction where hourly earnings have increased $4.75 since 2020 for a rate today of $24.20 per hour.

If elected as general treasurer, Pryor plans to implement sound economic policies, and make sure the state’s finances are stable by managing the state’s pension fund so it’s not a drain on the economy and contributes to the wellbeing of the workforce and retirees. Additionally, he added that the state needs to continue investing in state manufacturing.

Moody’s ranks Rhode Island as second in the country and number one in the northeast for its strength coming out of Covid. Pryor said this was not a coincidence. Rather, it is the result of the measures put in place during the pandemic.

John Hazen White, Chairman/Owner of Taco Inc., spoke Thursday and recalled the nights during the pandemic when he’d be on the phone with Pryor at 10 or 11 p.m. He said there was one point where they almost came close to seeing manufacturing shut down. By working with RIMA, Pryor and Raimondo discussed implementing safe workplace practices such as spreading and aerating workstations while ensuring mask policies without government mandates.

“Stefan has an incredible work ethic and is the quintessential public servant. His ability to lead and his enthusiasm for making it easier to do business in the state are inspirational and his support for the Manufacturing Sector is unprecedented,” Chenevert said in a Thursday press release.

Chenevert added that Pryor was instrumental in leading Rhode Island’s economy out of the pandemic.

“I’m honored to receive RIMA’s endorsement. Rhode Island’s 1,500 manufacturers employ over 40,000 people in our state,” Pryor said in a Thursday press release. “For seven and a half years, we worked together to support this industry as it emerged from the Great Recession, gained new strength, and then navigated the pandemic. In the Covid era, I was proud that Rhode Island never shut down this crucial sector. Instead, we collaborated closely with industry and labor to keep manufacturers open safely. As Treasurer, I will work intensively with partners in the business and labor communities to keep our economy strong — no matter what challenges come our way.”

Before serving as Rhode Island’s Secretary of Commerce, Pryor was President of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the public agency charged with coordinating the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan after the 9/11 attacks. He also served as Deputy Mayor for Economic Development in Newark, New Jersey, and as Connecticut’s Education Commissioner.