Rita L. Williams joins ZHF to lead Business & Economic Development Incentives Group

COLUMBUS, OHIO, UNITED STATES, August 7, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- Zaino Hall & Farrin LLC (“ZHF”), an Ohio-based boutique law firm that represents clients before government agencies, announced that Rita L. Williams has joined the Firm and will serve as Director of Business & Economic Development Incentives.

As Director of Business and Economic Development Incentives at the Firm, Williams will assist clients with site selection, identifying, negotiating and implementing business planning opportunities and economic development tax incentives. The Firm has established a new Cincinnati office in which Williams will be based.

“Rita brings over twenty years of experience of helping companies leverage federal, state and local economic development incentives to finance expansions of their business located throughout the U.S.,” said ZHF Managing Member Tom Zaino. “The excellent relationships she has developed with economic development officials across the country will be a huge benefit to our business clients.”

Prior to joining the Firm, Williams established and led the economic development department for The Kroger Co., a Fortune 25 company by total revenue. She was responsible for negotiating all the location-based incentives for the entire Kroger family of companies, encompassing site selection in over 35 states, resulting in significant value creation for the company. Her leadership extended to overseeing 2,700+ new and existing retail operations, as well as providing support to 38 manufacturing locations, 35 major distribution centers, multiple Health & Wellness facilities, and various technology operations within the enterprise.

Williams has also served clients in real estate finance, renewable energy, and manufacturing industries. She has experience in all areas of business and economic development, including Community Development Area programs (CRAs), Tax Increment Financing arrangements (TIFs), Opportunity Zone (OZ) incentives, Renewable Energy Tax Credits (RETCs), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC).

Rita holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from Northern Kentucky University, and she earned her Professional MBA, Finance concentration, from the Miami Farmer School of Business. She was Honored as a member of Top Women in Grocery by Progressive Grocer in 2022.

Zaino Hall & Farrin LLC was founded in 2013 by Tom Zaino, who served as Ohio Tax Commissioner under Governor Bob Taft. The Firm is headquartered in Columbus and focuses on tax, economic development, government affairs, and election law matters.

Tom Zaino
Zaino Hall & Farrin LLC
+1 614-349-4810
tzaino@zhftaxlaw.com