Head of Economic Development Agency Jumps Ship

The president of the state's economic development agency has quit after less than a year.
    
Gov. David Paterson announced Marisa Lago's resignation Saturday as president of the Empire State Development Corp. The former Wall Street executive was named to the job last August. She says she wants time to pursue jobs outside government.
    
Paterson praised Lago for pushing ahead work on the Javits Convention Center in New York City and Buffalo's Erie Canal Inner Harbor.
    
The economic meltdown has stalled several of the agency's key projects, including the rebuilding of Penn Station and the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn.
    
Dennis Mullen, upstate president of the agency, will take over Lago's positions.
    
Lago joins top administration aides to leave in recent weeks, including Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo and budget director Laura Anglin.