The Detroit Regional Partnership has added Rob Luce to the organization as senior vice president of strategic funding and investor relations.
In this role, Luce will lead DRP’s strategy for investor relations and strategic funding, deepening funding relationships with corporate, public-sector and philanthropic partners and building the infrastructure needed to sustain DRP’s work across the 11-county Detroit region.
Luce joins DRP as the organization’s work has expanded beyond business attraction alone, into strengthening community readiness and regional competitiveness across southeast Michigan. That expanded mission calls for a broader, more diversified funding base and Luce will lead the work to build it, positioning DRP to deliver for the region today and compete for what’s ahead.
“Over the past six years, DRP has helped secure $10.8 billion in investment and more than 42,000 new jobs across southeast Michigan,” says Justin Robinson, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Partnership. “But competition for the next generation of investment will be even greater, and it will take more than a strong business attraction operation to win it. It will take an organization with the resources and reach to fund a shared growth agenda across companies, communities and public-sector partners.
“Rob has spent his career on both sides of that table: closing deals as an economic developer and building the coalitions that finance them. That combination is exactly what this next chapter for DRP requires.”
Luce most recently served as vice president of the SME Education Foundation, where he oversaw the organization’s operations and long-term strategy. He previously served as executive director of the Detroit Region Aerotropolis Development Corp. and held leadership roles with MichAuto and the Detroit Regional Chamber focused on automotive growth and business retention. He began his career in Michigan government and holds degrees from Eastern Michigan University and Adrian College.
“I’ve spent my career on the community and public-sector side of economic development, and I’ve seen firsthand what it takes for a region to actually win. It’s never one organization acting alone,” says Luce. “DRP has built real credibility with investors over the past several years. I’m excited to build on that, bring new investors and funders to the table, and make sure the resources are there to match the scale of what this region is capable of.”
