June
25, 2010
OCG
President Larry Valencia
Resigns; Board Names Marie
Sorman President
The
Board of Directors of Operation
Clean Government (OCG) is pleased
to announce that Marie Sorman,
a former OCG Vice-President and
Board Member, as well as the
chairperson of OCG's last two
very successful Candidate Schools
in 2008 and 2010, has been elected
to complete the unexpired term
of President Larry Valencia,
effective today. Mr. Valencia,
a Commercial Lines Consultant
with Woodmansee Insurance in
Richmond, resigned from the position
to run for State Representative
for District 39 (Charlestown,
Exeter, Richmond). He has served
as OCG President since June 2009.
"I've greatly enjoyed my time
as President of this unique and
storied organization. This past
year we've conducted a very successful
Candidate School, we've strengthened
our Board, increased support
for our tremendous award-winning
cable show State of the State,
worked more closely with other
good government groups, and provided
an increased lobbying effort
at the General Assembly," said
outgoing President Larry Valencia. "I'm
staying on the OCG Board until
November to help provide Marie
with continuity and guidance.
Having worked closely with Marie,
I know she'll do an outstanding
job as OCG President," Valencia
added.
"OCG has been very fortunate
to have Larry serve as our President
for the past year," stated
OCG board member Beverly Clay. "Larry
was actively involved in promoting
our mission for honest, responsible
and responsive state government."
Clay added, "We are equally
fortunate to have Marie become
our new President. Marie has
actively participated in many
areas with OCG over the past
several years. Marie is a former
Business Consultant, working
with small business start-ups
and expansions on business plans,
marketing, site selection, recruiting
and establishing administrative
policies. Her prior employment
includes Director of Community
Development in Cranston, Central
Rhode Island Development Corporation,
Projects Coordinator/District
Director for U. S. Congressman
Robert Weygand and Executive
Director of the Chamber of Commerce."
Marie Sorman states, "I
look forward to carrying on the
work that Larry and the Board
have started and to an active
political season. Hopefully the
people of Rhode Island will elect
supporters of OCG's continuing
efforts to strengthen the Ethics
Commission, improve the Voter
Handbook, institute an office
of Inspector General, and install
technology to allow for real
time reporting of legislator's
votes. I thank the Board for
their vote of confidence and
look forward to working with
the Board, the membership, and
the OCG volunteers."
Operation Clean Government is
a statewide group in Rhode Island
that is dedicated to promoting
honest, responsible, and responsive
state government. OCG believes
that our state elected and appointed
officials should be accountable
to all the people whom they serve.
OCG believes that a healthy democracy
can only be insured when there
is transparency in government and
all citizens have full access to
their government. OCG advocates
strong democratic laws and institutions
that will give the public confidence
that policies are fairly debated
and decided on their merits, and
that our common resources are used
responsibly in the public interest.
OCG is a 501(C)4 non-profit organization,
with over 2,000 members, having
formed in 1993 when several smaller
citizens groups merged. One of
the major issues at that time was
the Rhode Island banking crisis,
when large and politically connected
borrowers defaulted on loans, freezing
billions of dollars of small depositor
accounts and catalyzing citizen
outrage.
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