Gov. Minner Announces Cabinet Nominee For Delaware Economic Development Office
Dover – Governor Ruth Ann Minner announced Monday that she will nominate John D. Wik of New Castle to be the director of the Delaware Economic Development Office.
“John has 28 years of experience in working with the business community and I expect that to be an asset as we aim to remain an attractive state to start, expand or relocate a business,” Gov. Minner said.
Wik, 51, of New Castle, currently is President of WIK Associates, Inc., an environmental consulting, construction and remediation company that he began in 1984. Previously, he served as a Principal Scientist in the nuclear physics section of The Franklin Institute Research Center in Philadelphia. From 1978 to 1983, Wik was a Systems Scientist with the MITRE Corporation a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. He was the Director of the Coastal Sussex Water Quality Planning Program in Sussex County in the mid-1970s.
Wik serves on the Board of Directors of the Committee of 100, is Chairman of the Planning Commission for the City of New Castle, serves on the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of Delaware, and is the past Chairman of the State Chamber of Commerce Environmental Committee. In addition, he is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Geology at the University of Delaware.
“I’m honored that Gov. Minner would ask me to take on this important position. I’m excited about the challenge it presents,” Wik said. “I think it’s important for us to focus on Delaware’s existing businesses to assure that they remain competitive in a changing economy, while we look for quality new industries to expand our employment base.”
This position requires confirmation by the Delaware State Senate.
