Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Tuesday, July 25, 2000

Release #292-00

 
Contact:

Sunny Mindel/Curt Ritter 212-788-2958

 

 

MAYOR GIULIANI ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF DEBORAH R. WEEKS AS COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS SERVICES

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today announced the appointment of Deborah R. Weeks as Commissioner of the Department of Business Services (DBS). Ms. Weeks currently serves as the Acting Commissioner of DBS.

"Deborah's efforts at the Department of Business Services have been very valuable to my Administration and to the City of New York," said Mayor Giuliani. "Under her stewardship, the agency has been responsible for helping hundreds of New York City small and mid-sized businesses grow and prosper. Since 1994 New York City has created more than 400,000 new private sector jobs. My Administration made job creation a top priority, and these small and mid-sized businesses are key to our record job growth. As Acting Commissioner, Deborah has demonstrated her ability to work with New York City businesses and I congratulate her on this appointment."

The Department of Business Services is responsible for providing assistance and support to attract and retain small and mid-sized businesses throughout the City. Through its various business-related initiatives - the Neighborhood Commercial Development Program and the Business Assistance Program - DBS provides tax and energy savings as well as relocation assistance to businesses looking to grow and prosper in New York City.

Commissioner Weeks said, "I want to thank Mayor Giuliani and Deputy Mayor Rudy Washington, as well as my staff, for their continued support. I pledge to continue to place business first to ensure that New York City remains the Business Capital of the World."

As Acting Commissioner, Ms. Weeks has overseen:

¨ The Emergency Response Unit, which provides business assistance services to all City businesses by deploying agents to business locations. Faced with recent crises occurring throughout the City, the Department has expanded its services to provide on-the-spot assistance working with the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management.

¨ The BID-Match Program, which provides increased procurement opportunities for women- and minority-owned businesses.

¨ The Business Improvement Districts, which allow property owners and tenants in commercial and industrial areas to supplement services which help improve the business conditions of the area.

¨ The City's Business Assistance Program assists businesses in resolving problems related to the delivery of government services and business related issues.

¨ The Lower Manhattan Energy Program, which is part of New York City's Lower Manhattan Economic Incentive Program, allows landlords and commercial tenants to receive up to a 30 percent reduction in their monthly electric bills.

Prior to becoming Acting Commissioner of DBS, Ms. Weeks served as First Deputy Commissioner for DBS. Earlier Ms. Weeks served as a Contract Compliance Officer for the Mayor's Office of Contracts. From August 1999 through August 2000, Ms. Weeks has also served as an Adjunct Professor, teaching in the Women in Urban Leadership Program at Mary Mount Manhattan College.

Ms. Weeks received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, and a law degree from the University of Kentucky.

Ms. Weeks is a native New Yorker, born and raised in Brooklyn. She has two daughters, Montiel and Kristienne. As Commissioner she will earn $141,000 per year.



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