Dearborn Introduces New Director Of Economic Development

DEARBORN, MI — City officials introduced Jordan Twardy as Dearborn’s new Director of Economic Development on Tuesday.

Twardy brings 15 years of government experience in economic and community development, fundraising, team building and project management. He recently served as the City of Ferndale’s Community and Economic Development Director.

With Twardy at the helm, the department brought in more than $60 million in community investment and over 400 new housing units, including the largest amount of new affordable housing units since the 1980s. He also finalized a 20-year effort to narrow Woodward Ave in downtown Ferndale, a measure designed to enhance pedestrian safety and calm motor traffic.

"My experience taught me the value of building and supporting teams and having fair and consistent processes that incentivize outcomes that the community wants from development," Twardy said. "I am also excited to remove unhelpful bureaucratic divisions while bringing people together to leverage the power of development to meet the community’s goals, from transforming high profile properties like Fairlane Mall and Village Plaza to enhancing our business districts, tackling flooding and stormwater, and providing resources to help residents and businesses thrive."

Prior to his Ferndale service, Twardy was the executive director of the 8 Mile Boulevard Association, serving 13 communities and three Michigan counties. He was responsible for revitalizing the 8 Mile corridor through cross-sector collaboration.

"Dearborn residents will come to appreciate Jordan’s unique ability to transform ambitious ideas into workable realities, and his track record of leveraging incentives to yield community benefits," Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud said. "I look forward to seeing his imagination and expertise at work as we realize the full potential of our economic and community assets."