CHICAGO — Detroit and Michigan officials today announced their first three appointments to a nine-member financial advisory board that will oversee Detroit as part of the new consent decree between the city and the state.
The three board members include a former state treasurer, a Ford Motor Co. retiree and a public accountant.
Ex-Treasurer Robert Bowman will be on the board as a joint appointment made by Gov. Rick Snyder and Mayor Dave Bing.
Bowman is currently president and chief executive officer of Major League Baseball Advanced Media LP. He was Michigan’s treasurer from 1983 to 1990.
Current Treasurer Andy Dillon tapped Ken Whipple, a 40-year Ford employee who is now chairman of executive search firm Korn/Ferry International.
Snyder selected Darrell Burks, a senior partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers and certified public accountant.
None of the appointees are residents of Detroit. The City Council must still approve them.
Under the rules of the consent agreement, Snyder appoints three of the board members and an additional one jointly with Bing. Dillon appoints one, and Bing and the City Council each pick two.
Members must have at least 10 years of experience with “sophisticated municipal financial transactions,” or government restructuring, health care benefits or pension matters, or local government management, according to the agreement.
“These are important appointments which set the tone for the caliber of people and the type of collaboration that is essential to the transformation of Detroit,” Bing said in a statement.
