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Economic Development Corporation

Department in Charge of This Board

About the Board

We help bring new businesses to Grand Rapids. We also help Grand Rapids businesses expand. Here's a look at what we do to meet our goals:

Assist enterprises in locating or expanding in the City of Grand Rapids
Establish project areas
Provide financing and other assistance for industrial projects and some non-profit projects
Help prevent and address unemployment
Help to strengthen the City and State economy

Meeting Agendas and Minutes

We use a third party system for meeting agendas and minutes.

Leave the City site to see Economic Development Corporation agendas and minutes

Apply for Boards and Commissions

More Details

9 members
Members need to be business-oriented with the ability to analyze economic development projects
2 directors for each proposed project
This board also serves as the Board of Brownfield Redevelopment Finance Authority (BRFA)
Members are appointed by the Mayor with City Commission approval on the first Monday in January.

Specific Requirements

Residency Requirement

You don't have to be a Grand Rapids resident to serve on this board.

Term Limit Policy

Each term is 6 years. There is a term limit.

Compensation

This is a volunteer board. Members are not paid.

Current Members

Kristine Bersche

Mayoral Appointment
Ward 2 Resident
Term Ends: 1/1/2024

Guillermo Cisneros

Mayoral Appointment
Non-Resident
Term Ends: 1/1/2024

Michael DeVries

Mayoral Appointment
Ward 2 Resident
Term Ends: 1/6/2020

Kimberly McLaughlin

Mayoral Appointment
Non-Resident
Term Ends: 1/1/2024

Nathaniel Moody

Pending Oath of Office
Mayoral Appointment
Ward 3 Commissioner
Term Ends: 1/1/2024

Brian Smits

Mayoral Appointment
Non-Resident
Term Ends: 1/6/2020

Francisco Vega

Mayoral Appointment
Ward 3 Resident
Term Ends: 1/6/2020

Joshua Verhulst

Mayoral Appointment
Ward 1 Resident
Term Ends: 1/1/2024

Renee Williams

Mayoral Appointment
Non-Resident
Term Ends: 1/4/2021

Stanley Wisinski

Mayoral Appointment
Non-Resident
Term Ends: 1/3/2022

City Staff Contact

Board Liaison

Kara Wood

Economic Development Director

616-456-3196

Meeting Details

We keep a schedule of all meetings for the current year.

We keep a schedule of all meeting cancellations and/or changes.

We keep a separate schedule for the Economic Development Corporation.

Download Annual Meeting Schedule

We keep separate schedule for the Economic Development Project Team meetings.