The Detroit Economic Growth Corp. (DEGC) announced several key leadership changes following the departure of CEO Kenyetta Hairston-Bridges, who has accepted the position of president and CEO of the Downtown Tampa Partnership in Florida.
“We are grateful for Kenyetta’s significant contributions to DEGC and the city of Detroit,” says Kevin Johnson, president and CEO of DEGC. “While we will miss her leadership, we’re excited about the new talent joining our team and the internal promotions that will help drive our mission forward.”
New appointments include:
Derrick Headd joins DEGC as senior vice president of public policy and operations. Headd has 38 years of experience with thecCity of Detroit, most recently serving as a fiscal analyst for the Legislative Policy Division of the Detroit City Council. In his new role, Headd will drive planning, oversee critical metrics, and manage relations with City Council regarding incentives and policy. Additionally, he will lead special infrastructure-related initiatives, manage local, state and federal funding proposals, and oversee grants and contracts reporting. Headd also will serve as a liaison with government departments, coordinate sensitive projects requiring legislative approvals and manage day-to-day interaction with state and local government affairs efforts for the organization.
Jacqueline Young has been named senior director of business development. Young comes to DEGC from DTE Energy, where she was an economic development manager responsible for job growth and retention strategies in DTE’s service territories. Young will lead DEGC’s business attraction efforts in her new role, focusing on multi-sector industries supporting Detroit’s ever-growing supply chain. She will guide companies through site selection and deal-closing processes, create new job opportunities in Detroit, and work closely with local, regional and state partners. Young also will represent DEGC at industry events and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders in Detroit’s startup and innovation ecosystems.
Additionally, DEGC announced two internal promotions:
David Howell has been promoted to vice president of development services. A 25-year residential and commercial real estate veteran, Howell has led a team of seasoned real estate professionals at the DEGC since 2021. In this role, he has been instrumental in underwriting all property tax abatements for real estate development projects in Detroit. In his new role, Howell will lead DEGC’s engagement with real estate developers, overseeing project underwriting and viability assessments. He will serve as the liaison between DEGC, the mayor’s office, Michigan Economic Development Corp. and city departments on real estate development matters, focusing on neighborhood redevelopment and affordable housing. Howell also will lead land use strategies, investments for the Downtown Detroit Authority and develop community engagement initiatives to educate Detroiters on development incentives.
David White has been elevated to vice president of business development. In this new role, White will lead DEGC’s business attraction, retention, and expansion efforts for larger-scale industrial, commercial and high-growth companies. Working closely with city of Detroit, state of Michigan, and regional partners, he will implement strategies to drive job creation and investment in Detroit. White and his team will serve as the primary contact for business attraction deals and oversee programs to support existing large-scale companies in the city.
The organization also is actively recruiting a business retention manager who will report to White.
“These changes position DEGC to build on our momentum in driving economic growth and opportunity throughout Detroit,” says Johnson. “We’re confident our new and promoted team members will bring fresh perspectives and proven expertise to our work.”
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