Thursday, March 18, 2010
Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Announces Incoming Board Chairman
Posted at 2:18 PM
The Executive Committee of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce (GPCC) has elected William P. Hankowsky as the incoming Chairman of the GPCC Board of Directors. Mr. Hankowsky is chairman, president and chief executive officer of Liberty Property Trust.
Mr. Hankowsky, who currently serves on the GPCC Board of Directors and its Executive Committee, will succeed Board Chairman David L. Cohen, Executive Vice President, Comcast Corporation, at the Chamber’s 2010 Annual Meeting in October.
“Bill is an excellent choice for this position and we are delighted he has agreed to serve,” said Mr. Cohen. “He has an extensive background in regional economic development, and is committed to growing this region. He understands the needs of the business community today and what this region must do to continue competing in a global marketplace.”
“I look forward to working with the GPCC Board of Directors and the Executive Committee,” said Mr. Hankowsky. “I am devoted to this great region, and I welcome the opportunity to offer my experience and my ideas as to how the Chamber can help Greater Philadelphia grow and prosper.”
Liberty Property Trust is the largest publicly traded office and industrial real estate company in the United States. Together with its predecessor company, Rouse & Associates, Liberty has developed iconic regional business environments such as Comcast Center, Liberty Place and Great Valley Corporate Center.
Under Mr. Hankowsky’s leadership since 2002, Liberty has become the nation’s leading commercial developer of high-performance green buildings. Before joining Liberty in 2001, he held senior management positions in both the public and private sector, including creating and directing the Camden, New Jersey community and economic development agency, serving in real estate management positions for the Amtrak and Reading rail corporations and as president of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC).
During his 11-year tenure as president of the PIDC, Mr. Hankowsky oversaw the city’s economic development agency, managed 11 industrial parks, operated 20 loan programs, and coordinated major projects including a new convention center, new hotels, professional sports stadiums and attracting the Norwegian shipbuilding giant, Kvaerner, to Philadelphia.
“Bill brings an impressive record of private and public-sector experience to his position as a volunteer leader of the Chamber,” said Rob Wonderling, President and CEO, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. “We are grateful for his commitment and that of Liberty Property Trust to advance the interests of our business community and our region.”
Mr. Hankowsky currently serves on the boards of Aqua America Inc., Citizens Financial Group Inc., NASDAQ OMX Futures Exchange, Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, Philadelphia Shipyard Development Corporation, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Delaware River Waterfront Corporation, and the Board of Governors of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT).
Mr. Hankowsky, 59, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Brown University.