Board of Directors

Principal and Chairman of the Board, JACK Entertainment

Matthew P. Cullen is the Chairman of JACK Entertainment, the Cleveland-based gaming company which employs more than 1,400 team members and generates $500 million in annual revenues.

Previously, Cullen spent more than a decade leading gaming, real estate and other initiatives for Dan Gilbert's Family of Companies. During that time, Cullen helped lead revitalization efforts within Detroit and Cleveland totaling commitments of more than $5 billion, and served most recently as the Chief Executive Officer of Bedrock Detroit.

During Cullen's long career at General Motors (GM) as General Manager of Economic Development and Enterprise Services, he oversaw the corporation's vast 450 million square-foot global real estate portfolio and created a shared services organization to consolidate and improve the delivery of administrative services throughout the company.

Cullen was the chief architect of GM's acquisition and development of the Renaissance Center as the automaker's global headquarters. While at GM, he sparked the formation of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and helped launch the billion-dollar transformation of the city's international riverfront from a largely abandoned industrial site to a destination for entertainment and recreation. Cullen continues to serve as the founding chairman of the Conservancy, whose vision is to create more than five miles of linked parks and greenways while ensuring perpetual public access to the beautiful Detroit Riverfront.

Cullen has served as the President and CEO of the M-1 RAIL Streetcar initiative since its inception in 2017. Known as the QLINE, the system connects the city's largest cultural destinations, educational and entertainment facilities and employment centers along Woodward Avenue. The public-private partnership M-1 RAIL has served as a catalyst for investment and economic development, while creating a foundation for a modern, regional transit system.

Cullen also currently serves as the Chairman of Invest Detroit; Vice Chairman of the Downtown Detroit Partnership; and is an active member of the Detroit Zoological Society Executive Committee. He is a board member of the Penske Corporation, Detroit Regional Chamber, Hudson-Webber Foundation, and Detroit Regional Partnership, and a trustee of the College of Creative Studies and Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. He previously chaired the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, The Parade Company and the Metropolitan Detroit YMCA, and remains an executive committee member of each.

Cullen earned a degree in economics from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Detroit Mercy. He also completed the Senior Executive Program at Harvard University. A native Detroiter, he resides with his wife and family in the Detroit area.

Sandy Pierce is a board member of Penske Automotive Group, American Axle & Manufacturing and chair of ITC Holdings, Inc. She also serves as chair of Henry Ford Health Foundation, chair of Detroit Economic Club, and is a board member of Barton Malow Company and Renaissance Venture Capital. Pierce was appointed by Governor Whitmer to Michigan State University’s Board of Trustees in December 2022. She served on the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Detroit Branch from 2016 to 2021, vice chair of Business Leaders of Michigan, and served as Chair of the Detroit Financial Advisory Board from 2012 through 2014. Current business associations and civic involvements include Detroit Economic Club (Board of Directors; Executive Committee); Detroit Regional Chamber (Prior Chair); Downtown Detroit Partnership, and The Parade Company (Executive Committee, Prior Chair, Board of Directors).

Pierce spent 45 years in financial services most recently with Huntington Bank where she was a member of Huntington’s executive leadership team. She led several revenue segments across its eleven-state footprint, including the Private Bank, Insurance Agency, and Auto Finance. Pierce also had management responsibility for Regional Banking and Community Development.

Prior to the Huntington merger with FirstMerit, Pierce was appointed to Vice Chairman of FirstMerit Corporation and Chairman and CEO of FirstMerit Michigan. Pierce had direct oversight of and responsibility for Retail Banking, Wealth Management Services, and Corporate Marketing for FirstMerit Corporation and coordination of FirstMerit’s business activities in the state of Michigan.

Prior to joining FirstMerit, Pierce was Midwest Regional Executive, President and CEO for Charter One Bank, Michigan, a division of RBS Citizens, N.A. where she had responsibilities for commercial banking and all state bank activities in Michigan as well as oversight of all state activities in Illinois and Ohio and was a member of Citizens Financial Group’s Executive Leadership Group and the Midwest Regional Advisory Board.

Pierce began her successful and diverse career in 1978 when she joined NBD Bancorp as a teller while attending Wayne State University. Upon graduation, she held a number of significant roles in commercial banking, retail banking, marketing and private client services at NBD and its successor organizations First Chicago NBD, Bank One, and JPMorgan Chase. In 2002, Pierce became regional executive of the Retail Midwest Region at Bank One. In this role, Pierce managed 350 bank branches that served over one million households and provided a full suite of consumer services, including: mortgages, small business loans, consumer loans and investments.

A native of Detroit, Pierce is a 1980 graduate of Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration / Marketing degree. She earned a Masters of Business Administration / Finance degree from Wayne State University.

Pierce and her husband of 45 years reside in Northville, Michigan with a second home in Bonita Springs, Florida; have three children, two sons-in-law, and six grandchildren.

Roderick D. Gillum is a Principal in the Detroit, Michigan, office of Jackson Lewis P.C.

His unique array of legal, crisis management, and corporate governance and compliance experience has engendered the trust of corporate and community leaders, judges, politicians and attorneys as an effective, thoughtful and creative problem solver.

Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, Mr. Gillum was a senior leader at General Motors, where he rose to become Secretary to the GM Board of Directors, and later Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, Chair of the GM Foundation, and co-leader of the Global Public Policy Center. Mr. Gillum’s worldwide responsibilities included corporate social responsibility initiatives, philanthropic programs, business ethics, community relations, diversity management and related communication activities.

Previously, Mr. Gillum was the Chief Personnel, Benefits and Labor Attorney at GM's Legal Staff, where he was responsible for all human resources and labor relations legal matters. He also served in two separate capacities at Saturn Corporation, a GM subsidiary: Director Strategic Business and Operational Planning and as Saturn Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Mr. Gillum earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University, and a Juris Doctor degree from Northeastern University School of Law in Boston. After being awarded a Sloan Fellowship, Mr. Gillum received a Master of Science in Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Mr. Gillum was elected by his peers to serve as a Fellow in the American Bar Association's College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. He also is a recipient of the National Bar Association's prestigious Equal Justice Award.

Mr. Gillum is a member of the Kellanova Board of Directors and was formerly a director of Holcim (United States) and Aggregate Industries.

He serves on the board of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (past chair), Invest Detroit (Vice Chair), Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History (past chair), and Detroit Economic Club (Secretary). Mr. Gillum is past board chair of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation Inc., and the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, both in Washington, D.C. and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC).

Chair, Michigan Education Excellence Foundation;
Chair, New Economy Initiative; Chair, Empowerment Plan

Steven K. Hamp is currently engaged in a variety of projects and institutions in Detroit and Michigan that focus on creating a robust educational reform system for urban K-12 schools, incenting new economic development pathways, investing in the creation of public statewide recreational and conservation amenities, and contributing to the growth of a vital arts and cultural sector that supports community development.

He does this work as Chair of the Michigan Education Excellence Foundation, the fundraising arm of the Detroit Promise Scholarship Program; as Chair of the Governing Council for The New Economy Initiative, the twelve foundation collaborative effort driving the evolution of a new entrepreneurial ecosystem in Detroit and southeast Michigan; as Co-Chair, along with his wife, Sheila, of The Purple Rose Theatre Company of Chelsea, Michigan; as Chair of The Empowerment Program, a Detroit-based social impact organization focusing on employing and skilling up homeless adults to break the cycle of generational poverty; as a board member of the Kresge Foundation with special focus on the foundation’s Detroit portfolio; and through Hamp Advisors, a private consulting firm.

He also serves on the boards of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, The Henry Ford, The Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan, and Light Up!, an Ann Arbor/Detroit start-up organization focusing on physical programming for children and adults with special needs. He also is Co-Chair of the Steering Committee for The Iron Belle Trail, a public-private partnership working to fund a state-wide system of hiking and biking trails in coordination with the Michigan DNR. In addition, Mr. Hamp sits on the Steering Committee for The Center for Michigan, serves as a member of the University of Michigan’s President’s Advisory Group and as a member of the University of Michigan’s Gerald Ford School of Public Policy Advisory Committee, and he also serves as a member of The Coalition for the Future of Detroit’s Schoolchildren.

Prior to his current work, Mr. Hamp enjoyed a 27-year career at The Henry Ford, during which he served with distinction as the historical institution’s President from 1996 through 2005. During his tenure at The Henry Ford, accomplishments for which he is most proud include the entire re-building of Greenfield Village, the founding of Henry Ford Academy on the museum grounds, and the acquisition of the Rosa Parks Bus. Mr. Hamp left The Henry Ford to serve as Vice President and Chief of Staff for Ford Motor Company where he was an advisor to Ford Chairman and CEO Bill Ford Jr. during the important transitional year of 2006, resulting in the arrival of Alan Mulally as the new CEO.

In 1999, Mr. Hamp was recognized as Michiganian of the Year by the Detroit News and in 2000 was the first recipient of the Michigan Environmental Council’s Helen and William Milliken Distinguished Service Award. In 2002, he was granted an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from the University of Michigan and the Civic Leader Award from the Governor’s Arts Awards. Throughout his career, he has served on the boards of dozens of organizations seeking to make Michigan a best-in-class place to live, work, play and raise a family.

Mr. Hamp’s educational background includes a BA degree in American History from Butler University, an MA degree in Folklore and Folklife from Indiana University and an MMP (Master of Museum Practice) degree from the University of Michigan. He is married to Sheila Ford Hamp. They have three sons and reside in Ann Arbor.

Chair, Board of Directors, Hudson-Webber Foundation

Jennifer Hudson Parke serves on a number of community organization boards. Current affiliations include the Hudson-Webber Foundation where she has been Board Chair since 2005. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Tannahill Foundation, Detroit Institute of Arts and The Garden Club of Michigan. Jennifer also holds committee assignments with Tau Beta Association, whose primary benefactor is the Children's Center of Detroit.

Jennifer served as the Director of Development for The Grosse Pointe Academy from 2007 until 2013. Prior to her position with the Academy, she served as Marketing Manager for Midtown Detroit Inc., and held positions with McCann Erickson and Campbell Ewald Advertising.

John K. Blanchard is the Director for General Motors Local Government Relations. Prior to his current assignment, John was responsible for all real estate activities throughout North America including overseeing the redevelopment of the GM Global Headquarters at the Renaissance Center and River East, the urban waterfront development along the Detroit River. He also spent several years as Regional Manager of the Retail Real Estate Group for both the East and West regions.

John joined General Motors in 1983 as a Financial Analyst at the Milford Proving Ground and spent nine years in GM's Corporate Finance organization in various positions including Joint Venture Analysis, Strategic Planning, Business Development and Budget and Cost Analysis.

John earned a Bachelor's degree in Finance and an MBA from Oakland University and he currently serves on the Board of several local organizations including the Downtown Detroit Partnership, the Detroit Investment Fund, the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau and Wayne State's TechTown.

President & Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber

The Honorable Sandy K. Baruah is president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber, the third largest chamber of commerce in the nation. The Chamber represents the business interests of a region comprising 5.4 million residents and 11 Fortune 500 companies. The Chamber also executes the statewide automotive and mobility cluster association, MICH auto, and hosts the nationally recognized Mackinac Policy Conference. Additionally, the Chamber leads the most comprehensive education and talent strategy in the state.

Baruah joined the Chamber in 2010 after a distinguished career in Washington, D.C. He served President George W. Bush as administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). In this role, he was the chief executive responsible for the SBA’s 4,000 national employees and $18 billion small business loan portfolio. Baruah was one of the senior officers shaping the federal government’s response to the 2008 credit crisis and assistance to the U.S. automotive industry.

Prior to leading the SBA, Baruah served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce. In this role, he was responsible for the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), served as the senior advisor to the Secretary of Commerce for the 2010 Census, and represented the U.S. government before the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France.

Before serving President George W. Bush, Baruah was a corporate mergers and acquisitions consultant for the Performance Consulting Group and served both President George H. W. Bush and U.S. Sen. Bob Packwood. After leaving government service in 2009, he was a Distinguished Fellow at the U.S. Council on Competitiveness, a Washington-based think tank focused on economic competitiveness policy.

Baruah earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Oregon and a Master of Business Administration from Willamette University. Baruah serves on the boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, U.S. Council on Competitiveness, Automotive Hall of Fame, and Detroit Economic Club, among others. He is a contributor to Harvard Business School’s U.S. Competitiveness Project, a Leadership Circle member of the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas, and chairs the Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition. He is also a former Advisory Board Member of Spain’s Institute on Competitiveness.

In 2016, Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Baruah as Chair of Michigan’s 21st Century Economy Commission. He is a frequent commentator on local and national media regarding political developments, automotive industry matters, and Detroit and Michigan issues.

Sandy and Lisa Baruah have one son, live in a household run by the family pets, and previously lived in Portland, Oregon and Washington, D.C.

Chief Community Officer, Greektown Casino

Marvin Beatty served for more than 22 years with the City of Detroit Fire Department, retiring as Deputy Fire Commissioner, the first African-American to hold that position in the Department's history.

Following his tenure as Executive Director at the Wadsworth Community Center in Detroit, Mr. Beatty was appointed to the Detroit Board of Zoning Appeals, a position he still holds. He formed New Millennium Advisors with his wife, Maxine Beatty. Mr. Beatty currently holds the position of Chief Community Officer, Greektown Casino Hotel.

He currently serves as a Board Member for the NAACP, Music Hall, Detroit Economic Growth Corp, Friends of Wayne County Parks, Boys Hope Girls Hope, the Coleman A. Young Foundation, and Downtown Detroit Partnership along with many other organizations throughout the metropolitan Detroit area. Mr. Beatty received his Bachelor of Arts degree in urban Management from California Coast University.

Chair, Wayne County Commission

Alisha Bell is the youngest African-American woman to serve as a County Commissioner in the nation. Commissioner Bell was first elected to the Wayne County Commission in November of 2002 and is serving her 5th two- year term. Commissioner Bell is the Vice-Chair of the Wayne County Commission. She is a member of the Committee on Health and Human Services, Public Safety, Youth Services, Special Rules, and Ethic Task Force.

As an active member of the community, Commissioner Bell serves the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence, the Salvation Army Southeastern Advisory Board, the Women's Informal Network and the Detroit Recovery Project. Moreover, Commissioner Bell is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Commissioner Bell is proud to note that she initiated a resolution denouncing the practice of racial profiling in Wayne County. She also introduced several local school officials to the Wayne County Reality Tour Program, which helps deter youth from criminal behavior. Recently, Commissioner Bell secured over $1million dollars for parks in her district and introduced an ordinance that enables the Wayne County Public Health Department to establish a youth lead testing and screening program.

Commissioner Bell was born on February 21, 1969 and is a native Detroiter. She grew up in the 8th District of Wayne County. She is a graduate of Cass Technical High School and received her Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration Florida A&M University, graduating Cum Laude. She also earned a Master's Degree in Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

After finishing her undergraduate degree, the Commissioner accepted a position with Comerica Bank as an Assistant Branch Manager. She excelled in this position and was even recognized by the bank president for exemplifying excellent customer service. Later, she took a sales position with Honeywell, Inc., where she exceeded her sales quota by 300 percent. The Commissioner also held the position as Center Director of the first Sylvan Learning Center in the City of Detroit.

Throughout her professional career, Commissioner Bell has always dedicated herself to the betterment of children. She volunteered with Junior Achievement and was founder and Charter President of a young adult chapter of the Optimist Club International. She is also a former precinct delegate.

Commissioner Alisha Bell believes that elected officials are representatives of the people, and stands committed to representing the people of District 8 and Wayne County.

She is the eldest daughter of James and Edna Bell and has a younger sister, Sonja Johnson. Alisha was married in November 2004 to Mr. Kranston Young and the proud mother of a son, Kranston Kardell Young, II and a daughter Morgan Elise Young.

President & CEO, Invest Detroit

David Blaszkiewicz serves as President & Chief Executive Officer of Invest Detroit, an organization driving catalytic change through financing for commercial businesses and real estate projects. He is responsible for Invest Detroit’s development and implementation of collaborative economic growth strategies designed for the creation of density and jobs. In addition, Mr. Blaszkiewicz leads the organization’s efforts to strengthen relationships with the public, private and philanthropic sectors to promote economic renewal and sustainability.

Mr. Blaszkiewicz manages the activities of Invest Detroit’s programs representing over $200 million in funds and tax credit allocations. He coordinates a number of audiences to support and accelerate residential, commercial, retail, entertainment and place-making activity in Detroit’s Greater Downtown and targeted neighborhoods. Since 2001, the organization has transitioned to facilitate additional funding tools with assets that have leveraged over $1 billion in total investment, primarily in Detroit. Mr. Blaszkiewicz has more than 25 years of leadership experience in the Detroit business community.

Most recently, in addition to his current position, he served a dual role as president and CEO of the Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP), expanding DDP’s capacity to accelerate economic growth, and developing initiatives to promote Safety and Security, and the creation of density and sustainability in Greater Downtown Detroit. Mr. Blaszkiewicz previously served as president of the Detroit Investment Fund, which is now a part of Invest Detroit. He formerly served as Director of Finance for Detroit Renaissance, now known as Business Leaders for Michigan, having joined the private, non-profit leadership organization in 1990.

In 2010, Mr. Blaszkiewicz was appointed by the Mayor of Detroit to serve as Board member and Vice Chair for the Downtown Development Authority. He also serves as a Board member for M-1 RAIL, New Detroit, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and Detroit Community Loan Fund. In 2011, Mr. Blaszkiewicz joined the Board of Directors of Universal Technical Institute, a publicly traded company (NYSE: UTI).

Mr. Blaszkiewicz is an alumnus of both Michigan State University, where he earned his Masters of Business Administration and Wayne State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in business.

Director, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

Through a variety of positions – as a member of the City Commission in Grand Rapids, as a district court judge, and later as director of the Office of State Employer under Gov. Jennifer Granholm, and as director of the Lottery Commission under Gov. Granholm and Gov. Rick Snyder – DNR Director Scott Bowen brings a long history of public service to Michigan.

Before his state government service, Bowen served as a Grand Rapids city commissioner and later as a judge of the 62-A District Court in Wyoming, Michigan, after being appointed to the bench by Gov. Granholm in 2003. That appointment came while he was a partner at McInerney & Bowen, having previously founded the firm of Bowen, Distel & Haynes P.L.C. Bowen also was city attorney for multiple West Michigan cities and worked as special assistant attorney general for the Michigan Department of Transportation.

His career afforded Bowen valuable experience in cabinet-level work in state government; relationship building at the local, regional and state level; red tape reduction that allows people to focus on doing their best work; and the importance of listening and learning before acting.

Bowen earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Michigan State University and a law degree from the University of Detroit. He has been an active member of the State Bar of Michigan for more than 30 years.

He grew up fishing for walleye on Lake Gogebic with his grandfather, who hailed from Mass City. Those early experiences created an enthusiastic angler who gets on the water whenever he can.

Bowen has spent most of his life in Grand Rapids. He and his wife, Annie, have raised four children and are fortunate to have two grandchildren, whom Bowen hopes will come to enjoy Michigan’s woods and water as much as he does.

Chief of Staff, Office of the Executive Chairman, Ford Motor Company

Mary Culler is Chief of Staff, Office of the Executive Chairman at Ford Motor Company and Development Director for Ford’s Cortown redevelopment. Mary reports to the Executive Chairman and has responsibility for advancing strategic priorities and shaping internal and external engagement for the Chairman in areas such as sustainability, smart mobility, autonomous driving and corporate citizenship. She is also overseeing the strategic direction of the Michigan Central Station Redevelopment and other Ford properties in Corktown.

Prior to this position, Mary was Director, Ford U.S. State and Local Government Relations. In this position, she managed Ford’s engagement with policymakers nationwide on a wide range of automotive issues. Her team also negotiated investment and job creation incentives in Ford plant states.

Other positions at Ford included managing Ford’s North Central Region’s Government Relations Office in Chicago, Illinois, and leading Ford’s Global Public Policy office in Dearborn, Michigan, where she managed the development of key company policies and positions.

Prior to working for Ford Motor Company, Mary worked for Mayor Daley in the City of Chicago where she managed the City’s Industrial Development Program. In that capacity, she worked with businesses on economic development and job creation initiatives.

Mary also held several positions at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C., including Deputy Director of the National Brownfields program where launched the national program to remove regulatory barriers regarding the cleanup of abandoned industrial properties. She also worked in the U.S. Senate on energy and natural resource issues for the Chair of the Energy and Natural Resource Committee.

Mary holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and a master’s degree from Harvard University. She lives in Birmingham, Michigan, with her husband, Andy Norman, and their three children.

Founder, RAM

Peter D. Cummings is the founder of RAM, a leader in real estate investment, management and development, based in Palm Beach County and active throughout the Southeast. In 2015 he stepped down as chairman of RAM to create The Platform, a Detroit-based venture dedicated to helping rebuild the city through creating new housing and retail developments. Mr. Cummings has been active in real estate development and management in Florida, Michigan, Texas and North Carolina since 1975.

Mr. Cummings was educated at Yale University (B.A. 1968) and the University of Toronto (Master's in English Literature 1969). In 1988, he completed the Owner & President Management Program at the Harvard Business School.

He serves on the Max M. Fisher Family Office Investment Committee, on the Board of the Norton Museum of Art, and is chairman emeritus of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, where he has served as a board member for 25 years

Financial Secretary/Treasurer, Michigan Building & Construction Trades Council

Patrick J. Devlin was elected Chief Executive Officer of the Michigan Building Trades Council in August 2005.

He previously had served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Greater Detroit Building Trades Council since January 1999. The Detroit Council was merged with the Michigan Council in August 2005.

Patrick entered the sprinkler fitter trade as an apprentice in 1971 after graduating from high school at Divine Word Seminary in Perrysburg, Ohio in 1970.

As a sprinkler fitter, he worked as a journeyman during construction of the massive Renaissance Center, and later as a general foreman while the Mazda Plant was being built in Flat Rock.

From 1988 until he was elected to his current position at the Michigan Building Trades, Patrick had been Business Manager of Sprinkler Fitters Local 704. During his time as Business Manager, he served time as both President of the 11,000-member Michigan Pipe Trades Association and as Chairman of the 14,000-member U.S.A. Sprinkler Fitters.

He also was appointed by the governor to the State of Michigan Mechanical Board of Rules.

As CEO of the Michigan Building Trades Council, Patrick oversees a Council that administers project agreements with construction contractors, acts as a liaison with the business and political communities, and promotes the hiring of a unionized construction workforce in Michigan.

Other appointments include Secretary, Red Cross Southeast Michigan Chapter, Board of Directors Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Board of Directors Greater Detroit Health Care Coalition.

Chartered in 1957, the Michigan Building Trades Council represents the interests of 14 craft unions and some 80,000 unionized construction workers in Michigan.

Devlin is married to Marsha. They live in Livonia and have two children.

Frank Ford, a native of Southwest Missouri, moved to the Detroit area in 1973. He has been a volunteer with the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy since early 2016. Frank holds an AB in Drama from Washington University in St. Louis, an MFA in Playwriting from the University of Connecticut, and a JD from Wayne State University.

A practicing attorney since 1977, Frank has served as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Dearborn Heights and the City of Troy, as well as a Temporary Assistant City Attorney for the City of Southfield. Since 1985, he has been a sole practitioner, operating his office from his home. His motto as a private attorney has always been, “Individual Attention with a Personal Approach.” He is currently in the process of retiring, no longer accepting new cases, and completing his work with one remaining client.

In addition to his legal career, Frank is an avid gardener, particularly passionate about growing and hybridizing lilies. He serves as the Vice President of the Michigan Regional Lily Society and is a member of the North American Lily Society. Together with his wife, Linda—also a volunteer for the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy—he helps care for the Michigan Regional Lily Society's lily garden at the Detroit Zoo.

Frank’s volunteer work extends beyond the Conservancy. He has volunteered for the Parade Company as a Balloon Handler on Parade Day and has worn many of the iconic Big Heads for events across the area.

Frank has contributed to the Conservancy in several roles, including:

• Ambassador: Frequently seen walking around the parks, greeting visitors and offering information.
• Greeter at events: Welcoming attendees and providing guidance.
• Helper at arts and crafts activities: Assisting with hands-on programs.
• Tour Guide: Leading regular and special tours.
• Speaker: Delivering informative presentations about the Conservancy, its parks, greenways, and programs.

In his tours and presentations, Frank emphasizes how the Conservancy actively seeks input from the public to determine what the community wants in terms of facilities and programs. He often says, “You can talk all you want about building and concrete, but what are you going to do with it? How will the public use it?” This serves as a segue into discussing the variety of programs the Conservancy provides.

Frank was honored for his volunteer work with the Conservancy by being named a Finalist in the Volunteer Category of the 2024 ROSE (Recognition of Service Excellence) Awards.

He believes, “You can’t ‘make’ a person happy, but you can provide opportunities for them to find happiness.” Frank hopes to always be both informative and entertaining in his volunteer efforts.

Ph.D, Visiting Scholar, Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research - University of Windsor
Great Lakes Science-Policy Advisor, International Association for Great Lakes Research

John Hartig is a Visiting Scholar at the University of Windsor’s Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, serves on the Board of Directors of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, and chairs the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan’s Great Lakes Way Advisory Committee.

For 14 years, he served as Refuge Manager of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. John has received numerous awards for his work, including being recognized as a 2022 Crain's Detroit Business Notable Leader in Sustainability, the 2015 Conservationist of the Year Award from the John Muir Association, and a 2010 Green Leader by the Detroit Free Press.

He has authored or co-authored over 140 publications on the environment, including eight books. John’s recent book titled Waterfront Porch won a 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Award in the “nature/environment” category.

Chief Executive Officer, Real Times Media

Hiram Eric Jackson is an entrepreneur and philanthropist with a 30-year track record of success in business and community activism.

Hiram currently serves as the chief executive officer of Real Times Media (RTM), a multimedia company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. Through his vision and leadership, RTM has evolved from a traditional newspaper publisher into one of the country's leading creators of African American content across multiple platforms. Still the largest owner of African American newspapers in the country, RTM is a dynamic media company with three offices and programs in over 15 U.S. cities. In addition to its robust digital platform comprised of eight websites geared towards African American interests, RTM annually executes over 50 events across the nation.

Concurrent to his role as CEO of Real Times Media, Hiram is managing partner of the real estate development firm, Paradise Valley Real Estate Holdings, LLC and The Ambient Group, a firm focused in the areas of strategy and investment. Prior to these ventures, he led GlobalView Technologies, an international technology services firm with revenues of more than $80 million.

The consummate entrepreneur, being both imaginative and intuitive, Hiram has gained numerous acknowledgements and accolades. He has been profiled in several publications including Savoy Magazine, Diversity MBA Magazine, and Black Enterprise. Early career accolades include recognition as a top 40 under 40 by Crain's Detroit Business and inclusion as one of Michigan's most powerful African American leaders by Corp! Magazine.

Hiram is also a demonstrated leader on the civic front. He is the current chairman of the board for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, serves on several other Detroit area boards including The Detroit Zoological Society, The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and the Detroit branch of NAACP, and was recently re-elected to the board of directors for the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)

Hiram earned a Bachelor of Science from The New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and is 32-year member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He currently resides in Detroit with his wife, Kimberly Blue-Jackson, and is the proud father of Hiram Eric Jackson III and Grace Jackson.

Co-Managing Director for the Detroit Program, The Kresge Foundation

Wendy Lewis Jackson is co-managing director for the Detroit Program. She co-leads The Kresge Foundation's efforts to revitalize Detroit and to strengthen its social and economic fabric. Her work supports organizations providing economic opportunity for low- income people and addresses the needs of vulnerable children and families.

Prior to joining Kresge in 2008, Wendy was a program director for Children and Family Initiatives and executive director for education initiatives at the Grand Rapids Community Foundation in Grand Rapids, Mich. She taught at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., and has co-authored and assisted in the publication of several reports and publications that address community needs and problem solving.

Wendy is an American Marshall Memorial Fellow of the German Marshall Fund of the United States; the Association of Black Foundation Executives named her an Emerging Leader in 2008. Wendy earned a bachelor's degree in political science and communications from the University of Michigan. She also holds a master's degree in social work from U-M, with a concentration in community organization and social policy and planning.

President & CEO, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation

Kevin D. Johnson is President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, Detroit's leading economic development driver. Under Kevin's leadership, the organization aims to create 10,000 jobs, open 140 small businesses and secure $3.4 billion of capital investment for the city by 2020.

In his role, Kevin builds upon 40 years of economic development, leadership, and positive impact the DEGC has had on city of Detroit. He brings a wide array of knowledge and experience to his new home in Detroit and will spearhead DEGC's business economic development work, including business attraction and retention, as well as key initiatives, such as:

■ Global Commerce: A two-pronged program that seeks to attract global business to the city and equip local Detroit businesses with the tools they need to export their goods to foreign markets.

■ Support Detroit entrepreneurs: DEGC operates several small business programs, including Motor City Match, Motor City Re-Store, and the District Business Liaisons initiative. The last is an effort to help business owners successfully open and operate a business in the city, leading to dense, vibrant commercial corridors in Detroit's neighborhoods.

■ Lead Land Development: Unlock economic growth citywide by assembling land for industrial development and activating unused space.

A veteran of economic development, Kevin has served in both public and private economic- development positions throughout the U.S., including roles in Arizona, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia before coming to Detroit. Johnson graduated from South Carolina State University with a B.S. in Political Science/Pre-Law.

During his tenure at Invest Atlanta, Kevin led the economic development program for the city, helping to create nearly 31,000 jobs and generating $3.7 billion in new capital investment. He also played a key role in bringing 17 new corporate headquarters to the city, including Porsche Cars North America, Groupe PSA, and NCR.

Director, Wayne County Michigan

CEO, Downtown Detroit Partnership

In mid-2014, Mr. Larson took over the role of CEO of Downtown Detroit Partnership. The Downtown Detroit Partnership is a private/public partnership of corporate and civic leaders that supports advocates and develops programs and initiatives that create a clean, safe, and inviting Downtown Detroit community.

Eric is also the founder, president, and chief executive officer of Larson Realty Group (established in 1999), a privately owned, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan based company engaged in real estate investment, development, asset management and leasing. Mr. Larson has over 30 years of experience in real estate and prior to establishing Larson Realty Group, served as vice president of a global real estate company, Hines, and as a partner and senior vice president with Bruce S. Brickman and Associates in New York. During Mr. Larson's career he has developed, financed, owned and managed over $3 billion of real estate.

In addition to owning Larson Realty Group, Mr. Larson served as managing partner at Bedrock Real Estate Services LLC (Bedrock) between February 2013 and February 2014; he continues to provide consulting services on significant new developments. Bedrock is a Detroit-based full service real estate firm specializing in the purchasing, leasing, development and management of commercial space.

Immediately prior to joining Bedrock, Mr. Larson served as Non-Executive President for Olympia Development of Michigan. Olympia Development of Michigan is a Detroit-based full-service real estate company owned by Detroit entrepreneurs Michael and Marian Ilitch. As head of Olympia Development, Mr. Larson led the real estate development projects which included the planning, designing, financing and development activities for the new Red Wings Hockey Arena.

Mr. Larson also founded, and is now serving on the board of the Community Investment Support Fund (CISF) which is a Michigan Non-Profit Corporation. The purpose for which CISF was organized is multi-faceted, but it engages exclusively in such charitable and educational activities as may qualify it for exemption from Federal income tax under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

A resident of Bloomfield Village, Michigan, Mr. Larson serves as chairman of The Robert C. Larson Leadership Initiative and Urban Land Institute (ULI) Detroit Governance Committee. He is also the Chairman of the Board for The Parade Company. In the past he served as chairman of Detroit Downtown, Inc., The ULI Detroit District Council, Detroit Downtown Partnership and The Detroit Business Improvement District. He is currently a trustee, governor and/or member of Beaumont Hospital, Beaumont Hospital Oncology Campaign Committee, The Urban Land Institute, The Urban Land Institute's Leadership Council, LOCUS, The Parade Company Board of Directors and Executive Committee, Grand Jester of The Distinguished Clown Corp, The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Greater Detroit Chamber of Commerce, The Building Operators Management Association (BOMA), and The Real Estate Roundtable.

Ph.D, Research Professor, Institute for Social Research
Professor Emeritus of Architecture & Urban Planning – University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning

Robert W. Marans is a research professor at the Institute for Social Research and professor emeritus of architecture and urban planning in the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan.

Throughout his career, Dr. Marans has conducted research and evaluative studies dealing with various aspects of communities, neighborhoods, housing, and parks and recreational facilities. His research has focused on attributes of the physical and sociocultural environments and their influence on individual and group behavior and the quality of life. Much of Dr. Marans' research has been in the context of urban areas. His current research considers the impact of the built and natural environments on quality of life, the role of neighborhood in the health of Detroit residents and issues of sustainability and energy conservation in buildings and institutional settings.

Marans is a registered architect and is active in recreation policy and planning in southeastern Michigan. He is a charter member and president of the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission and commissioner of the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority (HCMA), the governing body responsible for the planning, development, and operations of the metroparks throughout Southeastern Michigan. He also serves as a governing board member of Detroit Collegiate Preparatory High School and the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, has served on the executive committee of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, the boards of the University's Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, the Michigan Land Use Institute and the Legacy Land Conservancy.

Dr. Marans is the author or co-author of 8 books and more than 100 articles and technical reports. He currently serves on the editorial boards of several professional journals and has lectured extensively throughout the US and in Europe, Asia, South Africa, South American, Australia and the Middle East.

Chief Economic Development and Real Estate Officer, General Motors

President and CEO, Develop Detroit

Sonya S. Mays is the founding President and CEO of Develop Detroit – a nonprofit real estate and housing development firm focused on improving housing stability and creating economic opportunities across Detroit. Over the past eight years, Develop Detroit has built, renovated, or planned nearly 800 new housing units, representing over $245M in community investment. She previously served as Senior Advisor to the Emergency Manager of Detroit, Michigan. In her role as Senior Advisor, Ms. Mays played a key role in guiding the city through the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. She was responsible for a diverse range of legal, financial, operational, land use and economic development activities across Detroit’s restructuring efforts.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Mays was a Vice President in the Global Industrials Group within Deutsche Bank’s Corporate & Investment Bank Division in New York City. Ms. Mays provided capital markets expertise and M&A advisory services to large US and global automotive and construction products companies. Before attending graduate school and becoming an investment banker, Ms. Mays spent several years as a non-profit management professional in Chapel Hill, NC. She began her professional career as a middle-school mathematics teacher for the Board of Education in Detroit.

Ms. Mays earned three degrees from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Anthropology, a Juris Doctor and a Master’s in Business Administration. She is admitted to practice law in New York. She is a current board member of Detroit Public Theatre and the Detroit Regional Chamber, and also serves on the executive board of Real Estate Association Developers (READ). In November 2020, Ms. Mays was overwhelmingly re-elected to a second four-year term on the Board of Education for the Detroit Public School Community District.

Director, Knight Foundation

LaTrice McClendon, a dynamic and influential leader in both the corporate and community spheres, joined Knight Foundation in August 2023 to serve as director of the Detroit program. In this role she spearheads Knight’s work aimed at supporting and nurturing a portfolio of projects that celebrate Detroit’s diverse culture and empower residents, and is actively engaged in seeking innovative approaches to drive impact. With her wealth of experience spanning decades in both the public and private sectors, complemented by her lifetime residency in Detroit, McClendon has what it takes to uplift neighborhoods across the city.

Previously, McClendon served as the market executive and community president of Detroit for Huntington Bank, overseeing a billion-dollar strategic community plan. Her focus on equitable outcomes in affordable housing, small business, financial literacy and community lending has made a lasting impact on the city. Prior to that, she was appointed by the mayor of Detroit to help promote community development and enhance the quality of life in various neighborhoods.

In 2022, she was elected to the Detroit Public School Board, where she champions access to quality education for every child in Detroit.

McClendon actively serves on several boards, including the Coalition for Temporary Housing (COTS), Coleman A. Young Foundation, Michigan Association of School Boards and Black Leaders Detroit. She was also appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to the Black Leadership Advisory Commission.

Active with a variety of community nonprofits and institutions, Sarah McClure is currently the Mayor of the City of Bloomfield Hills . She was first elected as a city commissioner in May 2010 and recently elected as Mayor. Ms. McClure, who also served on the Cornell University Council, co-chaired the university’s 35th Reunion Capital Campaign. She is also a board member of the Detroit Historical Society Board.

In addition, McClure has served as a Cranbrook Schools Governor and was a board member of New Horizons Rehabilitation Services and the Women’s Committee for Hospice Care. While living in Germany for several years, McClure was elected to the International School of Dusseldorf Board of Trustees. Earlier in her career McClure was a financial consultant for Merrill Lynch and later was an adjunct professor/instructor of Economics at several local educational institutions.

Sarah McClure, who is married with two children, has lived in Michigan for 40 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Economics from Cornell University and received a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Michigan.

Amy McMillan’s love for nature and the environment began at a young age growing up on her family’s Centennial Farm in Midland, Michigan. Today, her passion for the outdoors and Michigan’s natural beauty shines through her work as director of the Huron-Clinton Metroparks. In this role Amy is responsible for leading the Metroparks in its management of nearly 25,000 acres of land across five counties to protect and restore the biodiversity of natural spaces while balancing ecological stewardship with recreational uses.

Amy has more than 25 years of leadership experience in the parks and recreation sector. She started her career as an intern at the Metroparks and previously served as the director for the Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission and as Parks and Recreation director for the City of Ypsilanti before returning to the Metroparks as director in 2018. She brings a strong passion for driving community impacts—actively seeking partners in all the work she does—recognizing that greater impacts come from working together.

Executive Director, Joe Louis Greenway Partnership

Leona Medley is the newly named Executive Director of the fledgling Joe Louis Greenway Partnership in Detroit, Michigan. Prior to taking this role Leona held several executive positions with the Rock Family of Companies including Director of Strategic Community Partnerships and Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Community Engagement. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Michigan Dearborn and is currently pursuing a Masters of Community Development from the University of Detroit Mercy.

Prior to her time at Rock, Leona served over 17 years in corporate leadership with the Home Depot where she not only ran a successful enterprise creating economic mobility for others but worked tirelessly leading large scale community development projects across Southeastern Michigan through the Home Depot Foundation.

Leona has served on the board of directors of; Habitat for Humanity Detroit Executive Committee, Chairperson for Streetwise Partners of Michigan, Good Projects Affordable Housing Advisory, sitting director for Neighborhood Legal Services of Michigan, Advisory Committee for Detroit Means Business. She was named Volunteer of the Year for Habitat for Humanity Detroit, a Globe Street Women of Influence Award recipient recognized for her outstanding social impact work, and a 2022 Michigan Chronicle Woman of Excellence.

Leona is a lifelong Detroiter, wife, mother, and a champion for the community.

President & CEO, Visit Detroit

In this role, Molinari is responsible for developing the strategic direction and overseeing the operations of the DMCVB. He provides the leadership and direction necessary to enable the DMCVB to bring meetings and conventions, leisure and business visitors to metropolitan Detroit and accelerate economic growth.

He leads the creation of the annual sales and marketing plan of the DMCVB which outlines the direction the DMCVB will take to attract tourism and meetings business to the region. He oversees the development of the annual budget.

Molinari also oversees the direction of the Detroit Sports Commission (a DMCVB subsidiary) which is responsible for securing amateur sports for the region.

Molinari came to the DMCVB from TCF Center where as general manager, he was responsible for managing the day-to-day operation and also business development of the 17th largest convention center in North America. His responsibilities there included developing a budget, forecasting and financing, and implementing safety, security and crisis management programs for the center. He also negotiated with local trade unions, developed business contingency, facility safety and emergency plans, and assures that annual budget goals are achieved.

Molinari was uniquely positioned to accept his new role as DMCVB president and CEO because of his understanding from the convention center position of the role tourism, meetings and conventions play as an economic driver in the region. He accepted the position at a challenging time for the industry as it deals with the impact of Covid 19.

Molinari's history at TCF Center began when it was the former Cobo Center. There he served as assistant general manager from 2011-2016 with oversight of operations, security, events and production services and union labor services. He was named general manager in March, 2016 by SMG/ASM Global and during that time forged a strong partnership between the DMCVB and the TCF Center operation.

Molinari served on the board of directors for the DMCVB and currently serves on the board of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council. He is a member of the International Association of Venue Managers and International Association of Events and Exhibitions. He is a USA Hockey official, Level III certified and selected to referee state and national playoff tournaments. He resides with his wife in Northville, Michigan.

Founder & President, M Group

As Founder and Manager of M Group, Mitchell is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Company. M Group is a privately held real estate and investment firm that acquires multi-family apartments and student housing. M Group has acquired or invested in over 240 properties totaling more than 21,000,000 square feet throughout North America.

M Group has over $1 Billion under management and accepts investment from high net worth individuals, family offices and organizations seeking reliable cash-on-cash returns over long holding periods.

Mr. Mondry is a member of the Boards of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan. He is a former Board member of: Michigan Strategic Fund; The Jewish Fund of Metro Detroit; Paramount Bank; Challenge Detroit; and President of the Michigan Venture Capital Association.

Prior to founding M Group, Mr. Mondry was Vice President, Stores and Customer Service for Highland Superstores, Inc., a publicly held, 92-store chain of consumer electronics and appliance stores. He served as CEO of Teamplayers, a personnel staffing company. Mr. Mondry is a member of the State Bar of Michigan. He received his J.D. degree and M.B.A concurrently from the University of Michigan Law and Business schools, and he received a B.A. in English, with Distinction, from the University of Michigan.

Principal and Founder, Restoric Properties

Reimer Priester is a Principal and Founder of Restoric Properties LLC, an historic rehabilitation, neighborhood revitalization and real estate development firm founded in Detroit in 2013 with his partner, Alex DeCamp. His partnership with DeCamp has led to the development of fifty-five residential and retail units, with another ninety-five units in the construction or predevelopment phase. In his role at Restoric Properties, Priester serves as the primary fundraiser, owner's construction representative and manages the daily operations of the company.

Reimer is also the Co-Owner of Villages Property Management, which exclusively manages all residences in the portfolio of companies owned by DeCamp and Priester, in addition to a small number of other properties nationally. Prior to his work with Restoric Properties, Reimer was the Senior Director of Advancement at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, overseeing a fundraising operation responsible for raising nearly $20 million annually.

Outside of real estate, Reimer is heavily involved in a number of local nonprofit organizations. Reimer currently serves as the Treasurer of the Detroit Public Schools Foundation. Prior to his election as Treasurer he chaired the DPSF's major annual fundraiser, the Champions of Education Gala for four consecutive years. In addition to the DPSF, Reimer serves on the Boards of both the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and the Michigan Humane Society. Reimer is an alumnus of Leadership Detroit's Class 38 and graduated from Duke University with a degree in Public Policy.

President & CEO, New Detroit, Inc.

Michael “Mike” S. Rafferty is the President & CEO of New Detroit, Inc. He joined New Detroit May 20, 2019. Previously he served as Vice President of Small Business Services at the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. In this role, he was responsible for developing and leading strategies, programs, and initiatives that support new and existing businesses in their efforts to thrive in Detroit. He comes to the role with nearly twenty years of experience managing projects, programs, and organizations that support community and regional economic development; advocating for and building the capacity of nonprofits and small businesses; and analyzing policy and advising local policymakers.

“New Detroit is a coalition of leaders working to achieve racial understanding and racial equity in Metropolitan Detroit. As President & CEO, he will lead the organization in focusing on racial understanding, equity, and justice.

Mike has served as a board member of a number of nonprofit organizations including but not limited to: TechTown, Jefferson East Inc, the Eight Mile Boulevard Association, the Woodward Avenue Action Association, the Villages Community Development Corporation, Eastside Community Network, and LAND Inc. He has a Master’s degree in Urban Planning with a concentration in Economic Development from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan and a B.A. in Communications from St. Mary’s College in Orchard Lake, Michigan. He has received a number of honors and awards including the Sue Marx Smock Graduate Fellowship Award for Urban Research, the Business Visionary Award from the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Michigan Chronicle’s Men of Excellence award.

Vice President, CFO and Chief Administrative Officer, Finance, The Kresge Foundation

Amy B. Robinson is Vice President, CFO and Chief Administrative Officer of The Kresge Foundation and serves as secretary and treasurer for the foundation's board of trustees. She manages the facilities, finance, information technology and program operations and information management teams for the foundation.

She joined Kresge in 1995 after serving as a senior auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Detroit. She held various accounting and financial management roles at the foundation prior to being named CFO in 2009.

In October 2018, Amy was elected president of the of the Foundation Financial Officers Group, where she has also served as a past board member, treasurer and president-elect. Also, in 2017, she received the 2017 AICPA Women to Watch - Experienced Leader Award, which honors those who have shown outstanding commitment and leadership, both to the CPA profession and to their communities. In addition, she was honored by DBusiness magazine in its 2017 Powered by Women issue, which recognizes exceptional female leaders in metro Detroit.

Amy was appointed to the Financial Accounting Standards Board Not-For-Profit Advisory Committee in 2016.

In 2015, Amy and her team led the expansion of the foundation's Troy, Michigan, headquarters facility, which was featured in Construction Association Magazine as an outstanding construction project in Michigan.

She received the 2011 Crain's Detroit Business CFO of the Year award in the nonprofit/foundation category and was featured in the 2010 AICPA book, "The Inside Track to Careers in Accounting."

She is a graduate of Leadership Detroit XXIV and is frequently invited to speak at national conferences about accounting, tax and other issues relevant to the foundation's work. She is also a member of the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy audit committee and an adviser to the audit committee of the United Auto Workers Retiree Medical Benefits Trust.

Amy earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Walsh College in Troy, Michigan, and is a certified public accountant. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants.

Owner & President, Rodgers Chevrolet

Rodgers has been a General Motors dealer since 1993. She first owned and operated Flat Rock Chevrolet Oldsmobile in Flat Rock, Michigan. In 1996, she moved her operation to Woodhaven and named the dealership Rodgers Chevrolet.

She earned her BA in Economics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She then attended the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and obtained an MBA in Finance.

She serves on the Board of Directors for the Bloomfield Hills Private Bank. She also serves on several community boards, such as New Detroit, Southeastern Michigan Community Foundation and the Woodhaven Downtown Development Authority.

Community Volunteer

Maria Elena Rodriguez combines media savvy honed during her TV-producing days, business acumen garnered from entrepreneurial ventures, and sheer pride in her Motown Mexican roots to realize goals long deferred.

As former President of Mexicantown Community Development Corporation, Ms. Rodriguez provided the leadership to make a dream come true, that of building the Mexicantown International Welcome Center and Mercado. She points out it was a team effort with major contributions and support from staff, the Board of Directors, and the Capital Campaign Committee.

She is currently a Board Member of the new Cristo Rey High School in Southwest Detroit; an Associate Advisor to Mexicans Abroad, a program created by the Secretary of Foreign Relations of Mexico, Board member of the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, and a Commissioner on the State of Michigan Spanish Speaking Affairs Commission.

Ms. Rodriguez is a 2005 Fellow of the National Hispana Leadership Institute, and as a result, an alumnus of the 2005 Harvard Executive program. She also completed the Center of Creative Leadership (CCL) program.

Ms. Rodriguez served on the Detroit Superbowl XL Committee Board of Directors, Knight Foundation Community Partners Program in Detroit.

She is currently writing a book about Mexicantown for Arcadia Books, as well as developing a new business that highlights her vast knowledge of Mexican culture, language and traditions, evidencing her strong commitment and pride for Detroit.

City Council President, City of Detroit

Mary is a native Detroiter with a dedicated track record of service and leadership in our community. Following in her father’s footsteps, the Rev. Horace L. Sheffield, Mary was recently ordained as a minister, and serves as co-pastor of New Destiny Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit.

In 2010, Mary ran for the Democratic nomination for the privilege of representing the 4th District in the Michigan State House of Representatives. The youngest candidate in the campaign, Mary unfortunately finished second by 70 votes, while receiving over 10,000 votes in a hotly-contested primary election. While unsuccessful, this campaign introduced her to Detroit’s business and labor communities, and served notice that she would be a rising star in Democratic leadership in Detroit for years to come.

In conjunction with her work in the ministry, Mary plays an important role with the Detroit Association of Black Organizations (DABO) by furthering its mission of uniting the Detroit African American community by attaining its greatest possible collective strength. As a member of DABO and as a youth coordinator of the Detroit Ecumenical Ministries Alliance (DEMA), Mary has worked with other community organizations to build consensus around issues of concern to the community. In addition to her work with DABO, Mary also served as Chair of the Youth Council of the National Action Network (NAN), Detroit Chapter. NAN is the national organization founded by Rev. Al Sharpton to raise awareness and bring about community action in protest of concerns such as police brutality, racial discrimination, and corporate responsibility.

Mary believes strongly in guiding and shaping the lives of Detroit’s youth, with a special emphasis on improving the lives of at-risk young girls. To further this goal and make a concerted difference in the lives of young girls, Mary established First Steps Inc. in 2009. Originally facilitated at Detroit Cares Alternative High School, for at risk girls ages 14-19, First steps currently operates at the Andrew Young Early College Academy. Major areas of the program include intensive, hands-on mentoring and coaching services, educational supplemental instruction in English, Math and Science, and rites of passage instruction for girls entering the critical stage of pre-adolescence and young adulthood. In 2011, First Steps was recognized and profiled by Fox 2 News as an outstanding community program in a “Redefining Detroit” special.

Mary is privileged to stand on the shoulders of civil rights giants like her grandfather, Horace Sheffield Jr., founder of the Detroit Trade Union Labor Council (TULC), an important organization integral to ensuring the inclusion of African Americans in the UAW. As he was widely recognized and respected for his contributions to working and middle class families in Detroit, our national, and around the globe world, she seeks to accomplish similar objectives, while making Detroit safer, cleaner and more competitive, for us and our future.

In November of 2013 Mary became the youngest elected to the Detroit City Council at the age of 26. Council Member Sheffield was appointed as Chair of the Neighborhood and Community Services Standing Committee, Mary also serves as member of the Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee, and has also been appointed to serve as a board member for the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. Mary has made a commitment to fight for the continued growth of our city, and has remained steadfast in keeping our neighborhoods at the center of that conversation.

Chairman & CEO, The Stroh Companies

John W. Stroh, III has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Stroh Companies, Inc. since May of 1999. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of The Stroh Companies, Inc. and its subsidiary SBC Holdings, Inc. (the former The Stroh Brewery Company) since 1989. The Stroh Companies owns the office building known as 300 River Place in Detroit along with other operating and financial investments.

Involved in various civic activities, Mr. Stroh is a founding Director of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. He also serves as Director of the Detroit Downtown Partnership and the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition. Mr. Stroh is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Detroit Institute of Arts and serves as Vice-Chairman and member of the Audit and Building Committees. He has formerly served on the boards of SRAM Corporation of Chicago, the Rock Island Company of St Paul, MN and River Place Financial Corporation of Detroit.

Mr. Stroh received his bachelor's degree in Economics from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio in 1982 and is a graduate at Harvard Business School, Program for Management Development and the Siebel Institute of Technology, diploma course in brewing technology.

Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana

Margaret Trimer is Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana, a dental benefits company that covers 14 million lives. In that role, she guides marketing, public relations, company culture and the investment of more than $7 million dedicated to building healthy, smart, vibrant communities.

Prior to joining Delta Dental in 2018, Trimer served for two-and-a-half years as the President & CEO of Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan, a Detroit-based non-profit that teaches young people how to manage their money, think and be entrepreneurial and prepare for the world of work.

Trimer founded and ran University Prep Science & Math (UPSM) schools in Detroit, one of the highest performing charter school districts in the region.

She directed communications for the Michigan Education Association (MEA), the state’s largest teachers union for 10 years. There, she advocated and lobbied for resources, support, and development for the association’s 160,000 public school employees.

While at the MEA she started a non-profit called Your Child. Your Child is credited with revealing Michigan’s lackluster culture of education and conducting a major public relations campaign designed to spur improvement.

Trimer started her career as a reporter for the Detroit Free Press and spent six years covering education issues and trends before leaving the paper in 1995.

She attended Michigan State University's James Madison College and earned her BA in Urban Studies with a minor in economics.

Chairman and CEO, Ideal Group

Frank Venegas, a Detroit, Michigan entrepreneur and the grandson of Mexican immigrants, capitalized on a winning raffle ticket, the proceeds of a new 1979 Cadillac, and his grandfather's sage advice "Do what your boss does not want to do!" to launch his first company in 1979. The Ideal Group, a Southwest Detroit family-owned company, has evolved into eight nationally recognized companies with annual revenues approaching $500 million, employing approximately six hundred people. Over the years, family members Loren (brother), Linzie (daughter), and Jesse (son) joined the Ideal Executive Leadership team as owners.

Based on the Venegas family's core values, Ideal companies continually meet and exceed customer needs in construction, facilities management, manufacturing, indirect material management, and surplus sales. Performance-driven, General Motors awarded Ideal companies nineteen of its Global Supplier of the Year awards and two Overdrive Awards.

On October 4, 2022, MMSDC Inducted Frank Venegas, Jr. into its Hall of Fame. In 2020, a past MMSDC Luminary Award Recipient, NMSDC, and MMSDC selected Frank Venegas and Ideal Group companies for their national 2020 MBE of the Year Award and multiple MBE Supplier of the Year Awards. In 2016, the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth awarded Frank an Honorary Doctorate Degree for his business acumen, urban community development programs, and creating career pathways through Ideal's education and sustainability initiatives.

The government of Mexico honored Frank Venegas with its Ohtli Award, the country's highest award to a foreign citizen. The award is a tribute to Ideal's corporate advocacy, mentoring and philanthropic contributions to community schools and organizations. Frank's business and community model provides community career pathways to educational and job opportunities. All illustrate the Venegas family value, "Take care of your community, and your community will take care of you."

Frank Venegas Boards and Advisory Councils: General Motors Global Suppliers Alumni Council; Business Leaders of Michigan; Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce; Detroit Riverfront Conservancy; Mayor Duggan's Workforce Development Board; Huntington Bank Southeast Michigan Advisory Board; University Advisory Councils for: The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, and University of Michigan-Dearborn, CASL

Owner, Walters Group

Matt Walters moved back to Southeast Michigan thinking he wanted to open a restaurant along Detroit's east riverfront.

The Milford native had spent nearly three years floating around the wine industry, starting with a back-breaking 90-hour-a-week job on a vineyard in South Africa, then working at a large-scale winery in California's Sonoma County, followed by a stint as a wine sales representative in Chicago.

Then, in the fall of 2013, he volunteered on Mike Duggan's campaign for mayor, which led to a position on the new mayor's transition team and then a full-time job in the administration working under veteran economic development attorney F. Thomas Lewand, Duggan's group executive for the Jobs and Economy Team.

In early 2014, while Detroit was still mired in bankruptcy court and Duggan's power was limited under an emergency manager, the Jobs and Economy Team consisted of Lewand and Walters.

"I didn't know anything about municipal government," Walters admits.

But now he does.

Walters is one of Lewand's two principal deputies and has played a major behind-the-scenes role in shepherding some of Detroit's biggest economic development projects in a generation:

• Ford Motor Co.'s $740 million redevelopment of Michigan Central Station and establishment of an autonomous vehicle tech campus in Corktown

• Dan Gilbert's development of a skyscraper at the site of the former J.L. Hudson's department store on Woodward Avenue; development of the Monroe blocks; expansion of One Campus Martius; and rehabilitation of the Book Tower and Book Building

• Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' $2.5 billion investment in converting its Mack Avenue engine plants into a new Jeep assembly plant and modernization of its nearby Jefferson North Assembly Plant

• The Detroit Pistons' new corporate headquarters and training facility in New Center

Each real estate development deal was layered with complex challenges involving financing, taxes, construction permitting and community impact.

"Matt can take on any problem or tricky situation and will not stop until it is figured out," Lewand said.

President & CEO, Southwest Detroit Business Association

The Southwest Detroit Business Association (SDBA) has named Laura Chavez-Wazeerud-Din as its news president and CEO.

The announcement was made by SDBA Board Chair Tonia Patino. In May 2023, Chavez-Wazeerud-Din was named SDBA’s interim president and CEO, following her previous role as the nonprofit’s vice president of Programs and Compliance.

“Knowing Laura’s passion, resilience and deep commitment to our community, I am certain she will continue to guide our organization to unprecedented heights,” says Tonia Patino, chair of the board of the SDBA. “She has not only earned this appointment through hard work and merit but has consistently demonstrated a profound understanding of our mission, strategic vision for the future, and our community’s rich, diverse cultural history.”

As president and CEO, Chavez-Wazeerud-Din is responsible for overseeing the organization’s growth plan. This will involve creating, implementing, and monitoring strategies that foster the development and advancement of the community and business.

Additionally, she will act as the representative of the organization at various levels — local, regional, and national, engaging with stakeholders, participating in relevant forums, and advocating for the interests of the organization and community across different geographical scales.

Chavez-Wazeerud-Din also will work to ensure the continuity and effectiveness of the SDBA’s three primary service areas — community and economic development — strategies and initiatives aimed at improving the community’s well-being and fostering economic progress as well as business development initiatives to support the growth and success of local businesses, and real estate development that oversees projects and activities related to real estate that contribute to the area’s growth and prosperity.

“I am incredibly grateful for having the support of our dedicated staff and board and am inspired by this exciting new chapter at the Southwest Detroit Business Association,” says Chavez-Wazeerud-Din. “I look forward to forging new paths and partnerships, fostering organizational growth while making lasting impacts for our stakeholders within the community.”

Prior to joining the SDBA, Chavez-Wazeerud-Din spent more than 12 years in the banking industry, holding leadership positions including vice president, Comerica Bank in Southfield; assistant vice president of Sales at Citizens Bank in Ypsilanti.

Chavez-Wazeerud-Din serves on the boards of various nonprofit organizations, including Detroit Chamber Music, W.A.Y. Academy, Bound Together, Michigan Chapter of Prospanica, and Detroit Black MBA. Her contributions have earned her notable recognitions, including: a 2023 Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Community Advocate of the Year Award; 2023 Ilitch

Foundation Hispanic Heritage Month Game Changer Award; a 2023 Clement Kern Award for Social Impact Honoree; a 2022 Diversity Campaign Award from the National Black MBA of Detroit; and a 2020 Role Model of the Year Award recipient from Alternatives for Girls.

Chavez-Wazeerud-Din graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit with a Bachelor of Arts degree in bilingual/bicultural education. She resides in Romulus with her family.

Senior Vice President, Middle Market Banking Sales Manager, Fifth Third Bank

Scott Wickens is the Senior Vice President and Commercial Sales Manager with the Middle Market team at Fifth Third Bank.

Scott leads a team of Commercial Bankers focused on Middle Market companies in southeast Michigan, delivering capital solutions, bringing efficiencies and technology to their treasury needs, managing various financial risks, and bridging the needs of owners’ personal and business goals.

Scott brings 30+ years of broad commercial banking experience across the full spectrum of corporate clients, from small family-owned businesses to publicly traded companies. Scott led locally based teams of professionals as well as large national teams during his 26-year tenure at Bank of America. His career started with Manufacturers/Comerica Bank where he focused on the Middle Market client sector before helping start the commercial banking organization at Standard Federal Bank in 1996.

A graduate of Central Michigan University and the University of Detroit-Mercy, Scott has spent his entire professional career in metro Detroit and remains passionate about delivering insightful counsel and innovative solutions to his corporate clients to ensure their continued success and prosperity.

He has been a long-standing member on the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy Board and is a recent graduate of the Leadership Detroit program.