Electric vehicle startup Rivian has added a new high-profile staff member — a familiar face from Georgia’s economic development department.
Andrew Capezzuto, the chief administrative officer and general counsel with the state Department of Economic Development, announced Wednesday on social media he’s leaving the agency to join Rivian as its new director of corporate affairs. For nine years, Capezzuto served as the department’s top lawyer, and among his responsibilities for the state was advocating for tax credit programs and corporate incentive packages.
Capezzuto was a key figure in the $1.5 billion incentive package consisting of state and local tax breaks, grants, free land and infrastructure offered to woo Rivian to Georgia, where the company plans to build a $5 billion EV factory and employ 7,500 workers. Rivian has to complete 80% of its investment and job goals in the plant by 2028 to receive its incentives, which are subject to claw back provisions if the company doesn’t meet those metrics.
At the time, it was the largest incentive package in U.S. history offered to an automobile company and the most expensive in Georgia history. It has since been surpassed in Georgia by the $1.8 billion package offered to Hyundai for its forthcoming EV factory near Savannah.
On LinkedIn, Capezzuto said he’s proud of his time with the state, touting the large economic development projects he helped close.
“I am happy that I was able to be a part of that journey and to help make Georgia a better place,” he wrote. Capezzuto could not immediately be reached for comment.
Online news outlet Georgia Entertainment was the first to report on Capezzuto’s change in employment. Alan Hoffman, Rivian’s chief policy officer, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in a statement that he’s “delighted to welcome Andrew to the Rivian team.”
“We look forward to continuing to build our permanent presence in the state as we approach start of construction on our new facility and the future launch of our R2 vehicle line,” his statement continued. Cox Enterprises, owner of the AJC, owns about a 4% stake in Rivian.
Rivian has been under pressure to bolster its ties with state and local leaders, project neighbors and community activists. Among the issues Rivian is likely to seek state lawmakers’ assistance with is legislation that will allow the EV company to sell vehicles directly to consumers, similar to a provision lawmakers approved several years ago for Tesla.
Rivian is expected to begin vertical construction on the plant east of Atlanta later early this year.
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Pat Wilson, commissioner of the Department of Economic Development, thanked Capezzuto for his “countless contributions” and for helping navigating the agency and state’s businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We could not be happier that Andrew will still be helping Georgians benefit through his work with our state’s newest partner, innovative American electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian,” Wilson wrote in an email. “We thank Andrew and wish him the very best.”
The necessity of government incentive packages has become a growing topic of controversy. Proponents argue they’re necessary to compete with other states for needed investment, while critics say the benefits often don’t outweigh the costs.
Though it often raises eyebrows, it is not uncommon for a public official to leave for the private sector leveraging their knowledge from their time in government service. In recent days, for instance, it was announced that David Dove, who has served as Gov. Brian Kemp’s executive counsel since 2019, will lead the regulatory and economic investment practice with powerhouse law firm Troutman Pepper.
Kennesaw State University economist J.C. Bradbury, often a critic of incentivized development practices, questioned the optics of Capezzuto joining a company he previously helped during his time in government.
“This should raise some concerns about who the agency (Georgia Department of Economic Development) really represents,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
