The Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce is the

executive department of the government of Puerto Rico The executive branch of the government of Puerto Rico is responsible for executing the laws of Puerto Rico, as well as causing them to be executed. Article IV of the Constitution of Puerto Rico vests the executive power on the Governor—wh ...

responsible for the

economic development In the economics study of the public sector, economic and social development is the process by which the economic well-being and quality of life of a nation, region, local community, or an individual are improved according to targeted goals and o ...

in the U.S. Commonwealth of

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

and all its

commerce Commerce is the large-scale organized system of activities, functions, procedures and institutions directly and indirectly related to the exchange (buying and selling) of goods and services among two or more parties within local, regional, nation ...

related matters.

History

The Department of Economic Development and Commerce was created by

Pedro Rosselló Pedro Juan Rosselló González, (; born April 5, 1944) is a Puerto Rican physician and politician who served as the governor of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001. He was President of the New Progressive Party from 1991 to 1999 and 2003 to 2008, a ...

in 1994 as an

umbrella organization An umbrella organization is an association of (often related, industry-specific) institutions who work together formally to coordinate activities and/or pool resources. In business, political, and other environments, it provides resources and ofte ...

under which several economic development agencies would operate in a more coordinated fashion. Its first Secretary was

Luis Fortuño Luis Guillermo Fortuño Burset (born 31 October 1960) is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the governor of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States, from 2009 to 2013. Fortuño served as the first secretary of econom ...

, who appointed its former head, José Pérez Riera, after being elected Governor in 2008.

Agencies

Among the agencies under its jurisdiction is the

Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company The Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) — es, Compañía de Fomento Industrial de Puerto Rico (or simply ''Fomento'')— is a government-owned corporation of Puerto Rico authorized and empowered to induce private capital ...

(PRIDCO), the

Puerto Rico Tourism Company The Puerto Rico Tourism Company ( es, Compañía de Turismo de Puerto Rico, or simply ''Turismo'') is the government-owned corporation in charge of tourism matters and regulations in Puerto Rico. The company was created during Governor Luis A. F ...

, the Puerto Rico Trade and Export Company and several smaller agencies dealing with cooperatives and horse-racing.

Secretary

* 1994–1999:

* 2005–2006:

Jorge Silva Puras Jorge Silva Puras (born August 23, 1966 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto-Rican public servant and government official. Early life and education Silva Puras is a 1988 graduate of Yale University where he majored in political science and econo ...

* 2007–2009:

Bartolomé Gamundi Bartolomé Gamundi, born in the Dominican Republic, is a businessman who was appointed by Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá as his last Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce and president of the Commerce and Exp ...

* 2009–2013: José R. Pérez Riera * 2013–2016: Alberto Bacó Bagué * 2017–2020:

Manuel A.J. Laboy Manuel may refer to: People * Manuel (name) * Manuel (Fawlty Towers), a fictional character from the sitcom ''Fawlty Towers'' * Charlie Manuel, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies * Manuel I Komnenos, emperor of the Byzantine Empire * M ...

* 2020–present:

Manuel Cidre Manuel "Manolo" Cidre Miranda (born 1953) is a Cuban-born Puerto Rican businessman and politician who became, on December 1, 2015, an official candidate for Governor of Puerto Rico. He lost the election to Ricardo Rosselló. He was appointed ...

External links

ddec.pr.gov - Official site of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce
{{authority control Executive departments of the government of Puerto Rico Public debt of Puerto Rico