Mayor names Lafayette Crump to head city development
Commissioner-nominee is a champion of economic growth and inclusion
Lafayette Crump
On Wednesday, May 27, 2020, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett appointed Lafayette Crump as Commissioner of City Development.
Commissioner-designate Crump is a Milwaukee native, an attorney, and a widely respected figure in the city’s development community. Currently, Crump is Chief Diversity, Vendor and Engagement Officer for the Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention.
“Lafayette Crump is an ideal candidate to lead the Department of City Development because of his remarkable qualifications and his strong commitment to connect everyone with Milwaukee’s economic success,” Mayor Barrett said. “Throughout this city there are opportunities for new investment, more jobs, and improved inclusiveness. Commissioner Crump will be a champion of this economic development work.”
Crump will succeed Rocky Marcoux, who has led the Department for almost sixteen years. Marcoux recently announced his longplanned retirement.
After graduating from Duke University School of Law, Crump worked as an attorney at multiple Milwaukee law firms. He has held leadership positions with Prism Technical Management and Marketing Services, a company engaged as a consultant on many of the prominent development projects in Milwaukee in recent years, including the Northwestern Mutual Tower, the Fiserv Forum and public plaza, and the Milwaukee streetcar. Almost one year ago, he began his assignment with the convention host committee. He is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Marquette University, and was recently President of the Board of Directors of Safe and Sound.
His appointment as Commissioner of City Development is subject to Common Council confirmation.
The Department of City Development is Milwaukee’s lead agency for economic development, planning, real estate, commercial corridor development, and private sector housing development. Both the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee and the Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation are housed within the Department.
