The Hudson-Webber Foundation in Detroit’s board of trustees has announced that Donald Rencher has been named president and CEO of the foundation.
Following a national search, he will assume his new role in January 2024. Rencher joins the foundation from the city of Detroit, where he currently serves as the group executive of Housing, Planning, and Development.
In this role, he has been at the forefront of innovative and equitable neighborhood revitalization initiatives, driving economic mobility for Detroiters. Rencher takes over from Melanca Clark.
“The trustees conducted a deliberate and thorough search to identify a candidate capable, committed, and invested in our community to lead the Foundation forward into its next chapter,” says Jennifer Hudson Parke, board chair of the Hudson-Webber Foundation.
“Donald’s deep-rooted understanding of Detroit’s built environment and commitment to safe and just communities, his strong experience in neighborhood revitalization, and his humble yet effective collaborative approach helped to set him apart.”
Past responsibilities for Rencher have included expanding, coordinating, and increasing collaboration among key city of Detroit departments and agencies, including Planning and Development, Housing and Revitalization, the Detroit Land Bank Authority, and Arts and Culture.
“His commitment and tremendous passion to improve the quality of life in Detroit for all Detroiters aligns with our mission and values,” says Hudson Parke. “The four pillars of the foundation’s mission include arts and culture, built environment, community and economic development and safe and just communities.”
Rencher also worked to develop inclusive housing and neighborhood redevelopment strategies and led key programs such as eviction defense, homelessness response, and more. He also developed strategy and guided investment of funding from HUD for community investment and housing and economic development.
“My career has been devoted to creating equitable and sustainable urban environments, and I see this role as a natural continuation of that work,” says Rencher. “The foundation’s commitment to equitable economic prosperity resonates deeply with my own values and personal mission.
“I am honored to lead the Hudson-Webber Foundation, an organization that has played a crucial role in Detroit’s growth and prosperity, and I am excited to leverage my experience in urban development and my passion for Detroit to further the foundation’s mission of building vibrant, inclusive communities.”
Prior to serving with the city of Detroit, Rencher worked as a senior attorney for the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), where he served as lead counsel over the agency’s single-family housing portfolio.
He was also responsible for housing discrimination-related cases and oversaw more than 50 large-scale multifamily real estate finance transactions.
He earned his law degree from Western Michigan University Law School in Kalamazoo and his undergraduate degree in English from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He currently serves on the boards of Eastern Market Corp., Downtown Development Authority, and Detroit Future City. Rencher resides in Detroit with his wife, Amy, and son, Patrick.
