The executive director of a corporation meant to bring businesses into the city of Belen announced her resignation this week after taking leave from the position in January.

Claudette Riley, executive director of the Greater Belen Economic Development Corporation, stepped down from the post effective immediately to help out with her husband's business, Triman Construction Industries Inc.

The business is located in the same office she operated out of as director of economic development for the city of Belen.

A meeting is scheduled for Tuesday when the corporation's board, made up of eight members, including representatives from the Valley Improvement Association and the city, is expected to accept Riley's resignation and discuss what direction the economic development corporation should go in the future.

"In the six years I have been here, the one thing that has made my job easy is the pro-business government," Riley said in an interview Thursday. "The mayor and city council have been a wonderful group of people to work with."

Riley, who made an annual salary of $48,000, said she was proud of helping the city obtain infrastructure funding for Signet Solar Inc., a company expected to bring 600 jobs to the area, and being a major player in getting the MainStreet designation for the city.

City and state officials announced that Belen earned the designation in 2009, a process that means the city will receive free technical support to help revamp its downtown area.

"Small businesses recruitment and expansion is difficult," Riley said. "We have sold Belen as strong as we could on the workforce, quality of life and business environment."

In January, officials learned a loan guarantee meant to back 80 percent of a $220 million cost for the initial phase of a four-part expansion was rejected by the U.S. Department of Energy. The rejection is being appealed by Signet, according to the developer of the project.

Nino Trujillo, the corporation's board president, said he wants to encourage more local businesses to be involved in the local economic development corporation. He said others should join organizations to help support economic development in Belen.

"People in the community should join and help create a new mission (for the corporation)," Trujillo said. "We have to look at where we have been and where we are going."

Trujillo said Riley was committed to her job, and that it will be a tough task to find a replacement if the board decides to go that route.

"When something like this catches you by surprise, you can't just hire anybody," Trujillo said. "We have to do some searching."

Belen mayor-elect Rudy Jaramillo said he will attend the meeting, and called economic development "an importance" to the city, which contributes $25,000 to the organization on an annual basis.

Outgoing Mayor Ronnie Torres said the board should have paid staff to meet with clients who are interested in coming to the Hub City. He said he thought Riley did a good job representing the city.

"I'm going to miss her," Torres said. "She did a fantastic job when she met with these giant companies. She was an absolutely perfect representative for the city. It was my pleasure to work with her, and I wish her the best in her new endeavors."

Riley listed patience and a passion for the community as important characteristics of the next executive director, if the board decides to move in that direction.

She said bringing in new business is a process that can take several years.

But Riley said she is confident that the contacts she has built over the years will help the organization in the future.

"I have developed a great source of contacts during my tenure," Riley said. "I think they will be more than happy to work with the organization to help it move forward."

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