Downtown Detroit Partnership's Eric B. Larson Added to Detroit Policy Conference Agenda

Eric B. Larson, chief executive officer of the Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP), has been added to the agenda for the 2022 Detroit Policy Conference.

 Larson will report on the current state of downtown Detroit by the numbers, with a focus on the return of visitors and workers to the city post-pandemic. Larson will also share what DDP and its partners are doing to promote placemaking, sustainable development, and urban vitality in the city's central business district.

Eric B. Larson has more than 30 years of experience in real estate investment, development, asset management, and leasing. During his career, he has developed, financed, owned, and managed over $3 billion in Detroit real estate, including the Renaissance Center, Little Caesar’s Arena, and The A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education.

Since 2014, Larson has served as chief executive officer of the Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP), a private/public partnership of corporate and civic leaders who develop and support programs to enhance downtown Detroit. Larson is also the founder, president, and chief executive officer of Larson Realty Group, a real estate development and management company.

Larson serves as chairman of The Robert C. Larson Leadership Initiative and Urban Land Institute Detroit Governance Committee. In addition, he currently serves as a board trustee, governor, or member of The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, M-1 Rail, The Detroit 300 Conservancy, MoGo Detroit Bike Share, The Downtown Detroit Business Improvement Zone, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, The Parade Company, The Urban Land Institute, The Urban Land Institute’s Leadership Council, LOCUS, Grand Jester of The Distinguished Clown Corp., The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and the Chamber.

Baruah Will Lead Detroit Regional Chamber for Five More Years

Sandy K. Baruah, who has led the Chamber for a dozen years, has signed a new five-year contract as president and chief executive officer of the country’s third-largest chamber of commerce. Baruah also announced the promotion of Megan Spanitz, vice president of resource development and marketing, to chief strategy officer.

Full details appeared in Crain’s Detroit Business by David Eggert originally posting Sept. 23, 2022.

Sandy Baruah, who has led the Detroit Regional Chamber for a dozen years, has signed a new five-year contract as president and CEO of the country’s third-largest chamber of commerce.

Baruah, 57, and the organization finalized the agreement in June. It was announced Thursday to the board of directors following a meeting of its executive committee.

Baruah (left) also announced the promotion of Megan Spanitz, vice president of resource development and marketing, to chief strategy officer.

Baruah told Crain’s that he and then-board Chair Wright Lassister III were in discussions about Baruah’s future for a year before the deal was reached.

“The chamber was very forward-leaning and said that if I wanted to stay that they were very interested in having me stay for a while longer and potentially kind of finishing out my CEO career at the chamber,” he said Friday. “I was happy to commit to at least another five years.”

Baruah, who had a kidney transplant in 2019, was administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration and assistant commerce secretary under President George W. Bush. He previously was a corporate mergers and acquisitions consultant.

Baruah said he and his wife, Lisa, have made Detroit and Michigan their home after years of moving back and forth between Washington, D.C., and Portland, Ore.

“We’ve been in the house that we’re currently in for eight years. We’ve never owned a house for eight years. For us, that is just extraordinary,” he said. “We’ve come to get really comfortable and delighted to be here.”

Baruah, who heads a staff of roughly 80 employees, said he loves the job because it is at the intersection of politics, policy, and business.

A top objective now, he said, is focusing at the state level to “really get our economic development strategy in better shape.” He cited progress with the establishment of a 9-month-old incentives account, the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve Fund, and the 2021 hiring of Michigan Economic Development Corp. CEO Quentin Messer Jr., whom he praised for developing a strong bipartisan relationship with lawmakers.

“We need a much more consistent approach. We need a much more aggressive approach, especially when it comes to next-generation mobility,” Baruah said. “If we lose that edge for next-generation mobility, Michigan is going to be in a world of hurt.”

State funding is an important factor, he said, but so is having a consistent strategy over time. The chamber also is prioritizing education and talent to ensure employers have a trained workforce.

Baruah, who said he may be open to staying beyond 2027, said he is focused on succession planning, too.

Spanitz, who has worked at the chamber for 23 years, will transition to a new C-suite role over the next six to nine months. Baruah said both he and Chief Operating Officer Tammy Carnrike will eventually retire. Spanitz has done “outstanding work over the years across all aspects of chamber operations,” he said.

“We’ve worked hard to make sure that there is an internal candidate for all of our executive positions,” he said. “I just want to make sure that there is an internal candidate that our board can consider when and if the time is appropriate to take either my chair or Tammy’s chair.”