Governor George E. Pataki and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced the appointment of Kevin M. Rampe as President of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation.   Rampe has worked to revitalize Lower Manhattan since the beginning of the rebuilding effort, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the LMDC from the agency’s inception as Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Rampe was named interim president after Louis R. Tomson resigned as president on February 28^th, 2003.
 
Governor Pataki said, “Since the beginning of the rebuilding effort, Kevin has worked tirelessly to revitalize Lower Manhattan. He drew upon his many years of experience to help establish the LMDC, then a new agency invested with an historic mission but no precedent to guide the way. In the time since, the LMDC has made remarkable progress. A vision for the World Trade Center site has been selected and is now being implemented, transportation projects are underway, the memorial competition is in progress, Lower Manhattan’s residential community has been stabilized, and New Yorkers are optimistic that a bright future is on the horizon. I am confident that Kevin’s strong leadership skills and long record in government will continue to serve the city well as LMDC works to fulfill its mandate - first and foremost, the creation of a permanent memorial.”
 
Mayor Bloomberg said, “Kevin has been an integral part of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation's success from its inception and he brings a wealth of institutional knowledge to the process. We are pleased to have such a committed partner, and look forward to our continued collaboration as we enter the implementation phase of the rebuilding process and we move forward with our administration's vision for Lower Manhattan. Together, we will make great things happen downtown."

Chairman Whitehead said, “I am delighted that Kevin will serve in this position. Kevin has tremendous experience in public service, including his outstanding performance as Executive Vice President and General Counsel, and most recently, as interim president. He helped to build this organization and has command of all the myriad issues involved in the revitalization of Lower Manhattan. He is highly respected by staff and board, and his longstanding relationships with all of LMDC’s partners will help drive this process forward. We are confident Kevin will provide the LMDC with strong leadership as we move into the next critical phase of the rebuilding effort.”
 
LMDC President Kevin Rampe said, “For almost a year and a half, I have been honored to help our City recover in the wake of a national tragedy.   And I have been fortunate to work under the tremendous leadership of Governor Pataki, Mayor Bloomberg and LMDC’s dedicated board of citizen volunteers. I want to thank the Governor, the Mayor, Chairman Whitehead and the LMDC Board for their continuing support and dedication to our mission – and for giving me the opportunity to carry it out.”
 
In February 2002, Rampe was appointed Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the LMDC. Rampe helped to establish the structure for the newly created LMDC and put in place policies and procedures for the agency. He assembled a talented team of executives to work on the rebuilding effort; negotiated historic Memorandums of Understanding and other agreements with partner agencies, such as the Port Authority; and served as the agency’s chief operating officer under Lou Tomson, managing the day-to-day operations of the agency.
 
Prior to joining the LMDC, Rampe served as First Deputy Superintendent and Chief Operating Officer of the New York State Insurance Department, managing the leading insurance regulatory agency in the country with a staff of approximately 1,500 people.  Rampe led the Department’s initiative to safeguard the personal information of New Yorkers throughout the state, instituting landmark privacy reforms that served as a model for the rest of the nation. Rampe oversaw the demutualization of some of the largest mutual insurance companies in the United States and modernized the agency’s operations.
 
Prior to joining the Insurance Department in 1999, Rampe was First Assistant Counsel to the Governor, where he served as Governor Pataki’s senior legal adviser on insurance, banking, civil justice, worker’s compensation and labor matters. He drafted and successfully negotiated legislation to lower insurance rates, protect consumers and punish businesses that violate New York State’s wage and labor laws.  Legislative accomplishments include the Omnibus Workers Reform Act of 1996, which led to a 35 percent reduction in worker’s compensation rates; the Unemployment Insurance Reform Act of 1998, the first increase in unemployment insurance benefits in over 15 years, coupled with a dramatic reduction in unemployment insurance costs; and the Unpaid Wages Prohibition Act, which increased penalties for violations of wage and labor laws.
 
Prior to joining the Pataki Administration in 1996, Rampe was a litigator at the New York law firm, Sherman and Sterling, where he worked on domestic and international securities, antitrust and contract litigation and arbitration. Following the 1991 Gulf War, Rampe represented the government of Kuwait in preparing claims against Iraq arising from environmental and health damage suffered by the people of Kuwait. Rampe received his B.A., cum laude, from Union College and his J.D, magna cum laude, from Albany Law School of Union University. He lives in New York with his wife, Christine, and their son William.