Tell us about living in Detroit. What neighborhood do you live in and what things make it unique and exciting?

Although I am looking to move to Detroit in the near future, I currently own a home in west Dearborn where I reside. Although I spend the majority of my days (including weekends) in Detroit, Dearborn is an incredibly diverse community culturally and for better or worse the city is often in the national spotlight. I love going to the Middle Eastern bakeries along Warren avenue for fresh baked goods and pastries in the mornings, and it’s always interesting to see the Ford concept vehicles, covered in “camouflage wraps” driving around near the proving grounds and test facilities. I also enjoy the proximity of Dearborn to Detroit and consciously take what I call the “scenic” drive to work, straight down Michigan Avenue from the heart of Dearborn to my parking garage on Michigan and Lafayette, across the street from the famous (and rival) coney islands.

What have you learned from Challenge Detroit so far?

I admit that going in I thought I knew the city pretty well, but the depth and breadth of the various projects and events I’ve been a part of through Challenge has been both impressive and eye opening. I realized that although I had always spent a lot of time in the city, it was mostly in the greater downtown area and really only through my own particular lense. This fellowship allows me to speak firsthand with residents and civic leaders who in my own personal experiences I would never interact with. I’ve also learned an incredible amount and gained an invaluable perspective hearing about other fellow’s experience in Detroit, especially those who are living here for the first time. It’s always interesting seeing new Detroiters perspectives, thoughts, and reactions (both good and bad) as they discover this amazingly complex city.

Tell us about your host company and your role in the organization.

The Detroit Regional Chamber is one of the largest and oldest chambers of commerce in the country and it embodies the concept of regional collaboration as a driver of success. Covering more than 11 counties and counting thousands of businesses as members, we work on issues related to policy, education, advocacy, civic engagement, and business attraction, all in addition to serving to maximize our value to members. I have a very diverse and wide ranging role in the organization that keeps me constantly engaged in a variety of aspects of our organization.

Chiefly, I head up all of our entrepreneurial initiatives and engagement, which ranges from working directly with entrepreneurs to help connect them with opportunities and resources, to the organizations and programs themselves that help to nurture and grow entrepreneurship in the region. I spearhead our community engagement for the city of Detroit which takes me out of just the downtown and midtown areas to meet with businesses and civic groups from nearly all the neighborhoods in the city, working on ways to better connect them with the larger downtown business community. In a combination of the roles mentioned, I create the agenda and program for our yearly Detroit Policy Conference which brings together civic, business, and government leaders from across the greater Detroit area to hear about various issues impacting the city including transportation, education, workforce development, safety, and of course entrepreneurship.

What kind of impact do you hope to have with your host company and within the city?

I feel incredibly fortunate to have a position that allows me to interact and impact such a wide array of organizations, individuals, and issues. It can be hard to focus on specific goals, but I really hope to be able to better connect the dots and create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for entrepreneurs in Detroit. We have an incredible amount of resources and thought leaders in our entrepreneurial community, but unfortunately they don’t always interact and too often entrepreneurs and startup businesses coming into the city or those without “connections” feel lost or overwhelmed trying to navigate the difficult process starting and growing a business in Detroit. If I can become a key connector and champion of entrepreneurship in Detroit, to the point that we can successfully create real opportunities for all would be business owners in the city as well as attract and retain our top minds and talent, I would feel like my efforts had made a serious impact.

What are your favorite summer events or experiences in the city that you are looking forward to?

Having spent many summers in Detroit there are so many things I look forward to it’s hard to choose. Places like the beach at Campus Martius and Belle Isle are where I will be spending most of my off-time in the summer. Bike riding on the riverwalk and exploring the new Michigan Outdoor Adventure Center will certainly be a part of it too. Essentially anything and everything including but not limited to; the Dequindre Cut, Eastern Market, Old Miami backyard, Detroit’s fabulous patio establishments, Tigers games, Jazz Fest, concerts at Chene Park, kayaking the Detroit’s “secret” canals.. Am I giving too much away? Sounds like I’ve got my June blog idea figured out. Stay tuned..

To lean even more about Devon’s work and life in Detroit check out his spotlight video.