21 to Watch in RI in 2021: Christian Cowan and Mary Johnson
GoLocalProv Business Team
21 to Watch in RI in 2021: Christian Cowan and Mary Johnson
The new economic development organization announced the completion of a $6 million funding round. It secured a $2.3 million implementation grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to rounds out the capital raise to support its launch, which includes the addition of a new 17,000 square-foot Advanced Materials and Technology Center in Portsmouth.
Behind the launch and the early success were Christian Cowan and Mary Johnson. The two had teamed up at Polaris MEP — the manufacturing group organization.
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Cowan has come through the more traditional path — 20 years of experience in technical manufacturing operations and marketing in the IT networking, energy and textile industries.
Johnson has done everything from working in theater, including training dogs to play Sandy for the Broadway show Annie to being a major player in the growth of Legos for STEM learning and robotics.
Combined Cowan and Johnson are poised to create a new economic engine for the post-pandemic Rhode Island economy.
No pressure.