The Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI) Board of Advisors appointed Tim Kelly as interim President and CEO. He replaces Kristopher Larson, who recently resigned his post at DGRI to take a similar position in his hometown of Raleigh, NC.

Mr. Kelly previously served as DGRI’s vice president of planning and development, a role in which he led numerous urban planning initiatives, managed significant infrastructure investments and administered incentive programs designed to support the city building movement in Downtown Grand Rapids.

Prior to his role in Downtown Grand Rapids, Mr. Kelly served as Community Development Analyst for the City of Long Beach Redevelopment Agency where he worked closely with the private development community and managed the construction of major public improvement projects.

“We are fortunate to have such a strong interim President and CEO in Tim Kelly,” said DGRI Board of Advisors Chair Kayem Dunn.

“Tim is an experienced urban planning and redevelopment professional who, among other accomplishments, successfully managed the community-driven process of defining and adopting the GR Forward plan to guide the next generation of growth in Downtown. In his new role, Tim will continue to keep Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. deeply focused on implementing the community’s city building priorities.”

Ms. Dunn will work with Downtown Development Authority Chair Brian Harris to establish a committee that develops a process to secure a permanent President and CEO of DGRI, which manages the DDA, the Downtown Improvement District and the Monroe North Tax Increment Finance Authority.

In light of the significant amount of change and robust redevelopment currently underway in Downtown Grand Rapids, the process likely will begin with a thorough evaluation of the critical skills and experience needed to keep moving Downtown Grand Rapids forward. The committee will provide a process update in December 2017.