Research Park president takes state DSS undersecretary post
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Eddie Ashworth, president of Research Park Corp., is resigning to become undersecretary of the state Department of Social Services.
Ashworth, who helped develop the Louisiana Technology Park on Florida Boulevard, will assist Social Services in implementing some of the same sound business practices, Department Secretary Ann Silverberg Williamson said Friday.
“While we are by mission a social services agency, we also are by nature a public service entity and we need to be accountable to taxpayers as well as the public we serve,” she said. “So I believe that Eddie’s discipline, Eddie’s innovation, Eddie’s creativity, and really his ambition to succeed at anything he becomes involved with, is going to be just what we need.”
Research Park oversees the tech park, an incubator for growing tech-oriented companies. Under Ashworth’s direction, the Tech Park helped 16 small businesses and six commercial technology companies further their development. Those firms have created 262 jobs and have annual payrolls of $13.8 million.
Ashworth said Williamson broached the idea of his working at Social Services about 10 weeks ago.
The two became friends after going through the Leadership Louisiana class in 2003, he said. From time to time, they have lunch to catch up and trade political gossip.
This time, Ashworth said, the conversation turned serious. Williamson asked Ashworth if he would be willing to fill the department’s No. 3 position, the equivalent of being the chief administrative officer or chief financial officer. Terri Porche Ricks, undersecretary for four years, is moving up to deputy secretary.
Ashworth said he accepted the DSS job after taking some time to think about the offer and several hours to convince his wife that a pay cut — his DSS salary will be $104,000, which is less than half of the $225,000 he now makes — was a good idea. He said he has always wanted to work in the public sector.
“With the new administration, Gov. (Bobby) Jindal and the team he brought in, I think the stars have really aligned for Louisiana to take a giant step forward,” Ashworth said. “And I’d like to be a part of that.”
Ashworth has done an extraordinary job at the Research Park, and it was his decision to leave the job, said board member John Davies, who led the search committee that found Ashworth.
Ashworth has always had a desire to serve in the public sector, Davies said.
“He determined that he wanted to work with Ann Williamson in her department, and it astounded us,” Davies said. “It astounded us, but at the same time it’s totally consistent with his personality. … He’s always been driven by a passion to do things that make a difference. I think he views this as his next opportunity to serve.”
Ashworth said he is also looking forward to working with Williamson in improving the delivery of services at the Department of Social Services.
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