Former RI Housing and Commerce Secretary Pryor Joins Texas-Based Venture Capital Firm
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Former RI Housing and Commerce Secretary Pryor Joins Texas-Based Venture Capital Firm
Founded in 2021, Palm Venture Studios is a Family office based in Austin. The firm specializes in turnaround capital for early-stage startups. The firm partners with leaders whose startups are stuck, and it provides the critical funding and strategic support needed to help their businesses succeed, according to Pitch Book.
Pryor was appointed to serve as Governor Gina Raimondo’s Commerce Secretary in 2014.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTHe remained in that role until into Governor Dan McKee’s administration, but left to run as a candidate for Rhode Island General Treasurer.
Pryor lost in the Democratic primary in 2022 to James Diossa; he returned to the McKee administration as Housing Secretary and left in 2025.
Pryor will continue to live in Rhode Island.
Latest Move
With extensive experience in economic development, housing, and education, Pryor "has shaped policy at the highest levels of state and city government."
As President of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, Pryor helped lead efforts to rebuild and revitalize downtown Manhattan, including the World Trade Center site after the September 11th attacks. He then served as the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development in Newark, NJ, directing commerce and housing efforts in New Jersey’s largest city.
In 2011, Pryor was appointed Commissioner of Education for the State of Connecticut, guiding the development of education policies and programs across a system of approximately 1,000 schools and 500,000 students.