Rendell Picks Ex-CEO As Pa.'s Stimulus Watchdog

MARC LEVY

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The task of ensuring that Pennsylvania spends its nearly $10 billion share of the federal economic stimulus package appropriately will fall to a pillar of Philadelphia's business community.

Ronald J. Naples was introduced Tuesday by Gov. Ed Rendell as the chief accountability officer for the task of overseeing the spending. He is also responsible for ensuring that the public can see clearly how the money is being spent.

"If the state is to be accountable for spending ... we'll have to find different ways to measure performance. We'll have to let people know how we're doing in a simple and direct way," Naples told reporters at a Capitol news conference.

Naples, 63, of Wynnewood, will be paid $120,000 annually. He was given a one-year commitment, and the stimulus money is directed to be spent within three fiscal years.

He retired in October as chief executive officer of Quaker Chemical Corp. but remains chairman of the Conshohocken-based company.

Naples has served on numerous boards of Philadelphia-area civic institutions and was chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia in 2003.