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Governor-Elect Dennis Daugaard
500 E. Capitol Ave.
Pierre, S.D.57501
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2010
CONTACT: Tony Venhuizen, 605-773-4023 or Joe Kafka, 605-773-3212
GOV.-ELECT DAUGAARD NAMES PAT COSTELLO AS COMMISSIONER
OF THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PIERRE, S.D. – Gov.-elect Dennis Daugaard announced today that he will appoint Pat Costello as Commissioner of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED).
Costello is a certified public accountant (inactive) with work experience for Coopers & Lybrand in Phoenix and Eide Helmeke & Company in Sioux Falls. For the past 20 years, Costello has operated small businesses in Sioux Falls. He has owned and operated Fuddruckers restaurant in Sioux Falls since May 1991, and is also a partner in Borrowed Buck’s Roadhouse. Costello founded and developed multiple restaurants in the region, and spent six years as a member of the Fuddruckers National Franchisee Advisory Council. Costello has also been involved in residential real estate development in eastern South Dakota.
Costello was a candidate for Mayor of Sioux Falls this year, and served on the Sioux Falls City Council from 2006-2010. While on the Council, he served on the fiscal committee, the audit committee, the metro communications council, the urbanized development committee, the Mayor’s Event Center Task Force, and the Southeastern Council of Governments.
“Pat Costello will be an energetic and effective leader for South Dakota’s economic development efforts,” Gov.-elect Daugaard said. “I often said that creating jobs would be my number one priority as governor. Pat has created jobs and made a payroll. He also understands from his service on the City Council how government can work with business to encourage investment and development. I am excited to have Pat on our team.”
“I look forward to working with Gov.-elect Daugaard to create jobs and grow our economy,” said Costello. “I am ready to work hard to help implement our new Governor’s plan to create jobs, ‘Building a Stronger South Dakota,’ and I thank him for this opportunity to serve our state.”
As Commissioner of GOED, Costello will be a member of the Gov.-elect’s Executive Committee, which also includes Lt. Gov.-elect Matt Michels, Chief of Staff Dusty Johnson, Chief Financial Officer Jason Dilges, Senior Advisor Deb Bowman, and Director of Policy and Communications Tony Venhuizen.
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