Naidoff and Running?

It looks like Stephanie Naidoff will be the new commerce director. That is, if she wants the job. Current city Commerce Director Jim Cuorato had talked privately about moving on for a while before tendering his resignation last Friday.

Naidoff is best known for her work as a former Regional Performing Arts Center president and for her fundraising abilities. She led the $265 million Kimmel Center funding drive but resigned less then eight months before the center's opening. She has also served on numerous corporate and community boards such as the Free Library.

But what kind of experience does she have with economic development on a citywide scale?

"I don't know why anyone would think I am just an arts person," said Naidoff. "I am passionate about the arts but I have been a corporate lawyer for 30 years [she practiced at the firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius], and I am on the board of the Wachovia Regional Foundation." Formerly, the First Union Regional Foundation, the $100 million Wachovia Regional Foundation was established in 1998 to support community development initiatives that target community revitalization.

Naidoff said that the Kimmel Center was one of the largest projects the city has had.

"I was approached by the mayor," said Naidoff of the commerce post. "I am still considering it."

She is currently unemployed and said she has been enjoying a few years of much-needed time off. Naidoff lives in Rittenhouse Square with her husband, Michael Naidoff, an ophthalmologist at Wills Eye Hospital.

People familiar with the Commerce Department are hoping that Deputy Commerce Director Duane Bumb will be offered the position because he is highly qualified and knows that office inside and out. He worked closely with Cuorato on numerous projects over the years and would not have to spend time "learning the job." Ed Rendell originally appointed Bumb to commerce when he was mayor.

Bumb referred calls to the mayor's press office.

Michael Sklaroff is also a possibility. He is the chair of the Philadelphia Historic Commission, having been appointed by Mayor John Street in September 2002, and an attorney at Ballard Spahr. He was once considered for commerce director under Street but Cuorato got the job.

"The Commerce Department position is the most challenging and the most rewarding," said Sklaroff from his office at Ballard.

Streets' spokesperson, Barbara Grant, said she could not comment on the process of selecting a new commerce director. She did say that the mayor would be timely with his new appointment. Cuorato does not have a definite departure date and may need to stay on to train the new hire.

While other departments in Street's administration have been targeted by the federal probe, the Commerce Department under Cuorato has notably not been a subject for the feds.

Race Around the Square

The horses are out of the gate for the House race in the 182nd District. Three Democrats, incumbent State Rep. Babette Josephs, Terry Gillen and Andrew Hohns are vying for the seat, which encompasses Center City, Grays Ferry and parts of South Philadelphia.

Terry Gillen hosted a kickoff party and fundraiser Monday night at Zanzibar Blue. Gillen, 30th Ward leader, was the director of policy in the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development under Ed Rendell. Under Rendell as mayor, she was the city's deputy commerce director from 1992 to 1995. In 1999 she ran unsuccessfully for City Council at-large. She is now an economic development consultant and the director of the Coalition for Fair Taxes.

Meanwhile, Andrew Hohns' website, andrewhohns.com, has been corrected so that donations will be made payable to his campaign and not Joe Torsella for Congress. "It was a mistake," said Hohns. "The same person who designed my website also designed Joe's. It has been corrected." Hohns said he has not received any donations for Torsella. The start date to circulate nominating petitions was Jan. 27 and Hohns said he and a few friends were going out at midnight, Jan. 27, to begin circulating petitions, which, according to Hohns, is now a tradition that started in 2002 when he last ran against Josephs. "I will debate either or both of the other candidates," said Hohns.

Babette Josephs will be the guest speaker this Sunday at noon at a community meeting and brunch at 226 W. Rittenhouse Square. The discussion will cover pressing issues of the day, particularly on the state level.