Flint Downtown Development Authority appoints new executive director

Friday, July 9, 2021

Flint’s Downtown Development Authority has hired a new executive director.

Kiaira May, who has worked at Quicken Loans and Bedrock Real Estate in Detroit, was unanimously named to the post by the DDA Board of Directors and started her work this week, the DDA said in a news release.

A Wayne State University graduate, May becomes the first African American woman to ever lead the DDA, which was established in 1977 and which promotes the revitalization of the city’s core and manages paid downtown parking.

Martha Aills was the first woman to serve in the role in the mid-1990′s, per MLive-The Flint Journal files.

Former DDA director Gerard Burnash, who had served in the position for several years, told The Journal in a message that he was “relieved of his duties” as of April 1.

Flint Director of Economic Development Khalfani Stephens had most recently served as DDA executive director on a temporary basis, according to DDA Board of Directors’ meeting minutes.

In her previous work, May developed partnerships with influential organizations in Detroit, including the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, The Gucci Changemakers Fund, Design Core Detroit, and the Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Michigan, according to the DDA announcement of her appointment.

Those partnerships helped create more traffic to local businesses in key districts, showcased art and cultural exhibitions and displays, and created community dialogues and panels, the organization said.

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