Governor George E. Pataki today named Former LMDC President Kevin M. Rampe Chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. Rampe will replace John C. Whitehead who announced his resignation at the Corporation’s May Board meeting. Rampe is a Director of the WTC Memorial Foundation Board and a member of its Executive Committee.

Chairman Rampe has been charged with three critical tasks. First and foremost, he will work with Frank Sciame, and in concert with the WTC Memorial Foundation and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, to ensure the memorial construction moves forward within the $500 million budget and for completion by September 11, 2009. Second, Rampe will focus the LMDC on the substantial completion of its mission to revitalize Lower Manhattan by transferring allocated funding and responsibility of projects to appropriate entities.  Third, Rampe will ensure the highest design principles are met by completing design guidelines consistent with the Libeskind Master Plan.

“Kevin Rampe has shown an unwavering commitment to the rebuilding and revitalization of Lower Manhattan and he will make an outstanding Chairman,” Governor Pataki said. “As the former President of LMDC and member of the Executive Committee of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, Rampe has already made tremendous contributions to the rebuilding effort and been a tireless advocate for the creation of a fitting and appropriate memorial to our lost heroes. He brings the dedication, experience, energy and insight necessary to keep the momentum going on the reconstruction of the World Trade Center and the revitalization of downtown.”  

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said, “During Kevin’s tenure as President of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, he demonstrated a unique ability to build consensus among the various stakeholders and to get things done.  We are making a great deal of progress advancing the interests of Lower Manhattan, both on the World Trade Center site and in the surrounding area, and we look forward to working with Kevin again as he steps into his new role as Chairman.”

Outgoing LMDC Chairman John C. Whitehead said, “Kevin has already well demonstrated his leadership in the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan and he is certainly familiar with all of the issues that he’ll face in this job day to day.  Add to that his good working relationship with other State and City partners, and his ability to navigate potentially challenging situations, and he is an excellent choice for the role.”

Chairman Kevin M. Rampe said, “I am humbled and honored to be named Chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and welcome the opportunity to continue the great progress realized under Chairman Whitehead. As the former President of the LMDC, I was fortunate to work under the tremendous leadership of Governor Pataki, Mayor Bloomberg and with LMDC’s dedicated board of directors and I look forward to focusing on ensuring the memorial moves forward and within budget, the WTC site is built out with the highest standards of design and the revitalization projects envisioned by the LMDC are realized by our partners.”

Mr. Rampe joined the LMDC in March 2002 and served as the LMDC President for over two years. During his tenure as President, the agency launched the international World Trade Center Memorial Competition leading to the selected memorial design ‘Reflecting Absence,’ worked with Studio Daniel Libeskind to refine the master site plan, preserving the selected plan's vision while producing a buildable site plan.

He negotiated numerous landmark agreements with City, State, and Federal agencies and private parties including historic Memorandums of Understanding. He also directed the Environmental Impact Statement for the World Trade Center Memorial and Redevelopment Plan that includes the construction of the Memorial and memorial-related improvements, as well as commercial, retail, and cultural facilities, new open space areas, new street configurations, and infrastructure improvements at the World Trade Center Site and adjacent parcels. In December 2004, Rampe was named to the WTC Memorial Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Prior to joining the LMDC, Rampe served as First Deputy Superintendent and Chief Operating Officer of the New York State Insurance Department. Prior to joining the Insurance Department in 1999, Rampe was First Assistant Counsel to the Governor, where he served as Governor Pataki's senior legal adviser on insurance, banking, civil justice, worker's compensation and labor matters. He drafted and successfully negotiated legislation to lower insurance rates, protect consumers and punish businesses that violate New York State's wage and labor laws.

Prior to joining the Pataki Administration in 1996, Rampe was a litigator at the New York law firm, Shearman and Sterling. Rampe received his B.A., cum laude, from Union College and his J.D, magna cum laude, from Albany Law School of Union University. Kevin was recently awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from Union College where he was the 2004 Commencement Speaker. Since May of 2005, Rampe has served as Global Compliance and Business Ethics Officer for the ACE Group of Companies. The position of Chairman of the LMDC is an unpaid voluntary position.