TRENTON-The New Jersey Economic DevelopmentAuthority chief Caren Franzini isleaving her 18-year-post on Sept. 30 to pursue private sectoropportunities – and Michele Brown, a top advisorto Gov. Chris Christie, will take her old job.

The news emerged from this week’s EDA Board of Directorsmeeting, at which the board also approved a restructuring whenFranzini goes. Tim Lizura, who is now a financeand development executive at the EDA, will take on new roles aspresident and chief operating officer when Brown becomes CEO.

“It is clear that in Caren, the EDA had a very unusual leaderwho was able to function very effectively at the strategic level asCEO, as well as a highly technical operating level,” said theboard’s chairman, Al Koeppe, at a special meetingTuesday. “She had the energy and deep skills to fill both rolessuperbly,” he said of Franzini, whose tenure business leaders havegenerally praised.