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Quentin L. Messer, Jr.

CEO and Chief Economic Competitiveness Officer
Michigan Economic Development Corporation

As CEO and Chief Economic Competitiveness Officer of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and President and Chair of the Michigan Strategic Fund, Quentin is the state of Michigan’s top economic development official serving in cabinet of Michigan Governor Gretchen E. Whitmer. His teammates and he execute the state of Michigan’s Make It In Michigan economic development framework emphasizing attracting and developing People, cultivating and revitalizing Places, and competing for and winning Projects.

Quentin manages the administration of all programs, funds, personnel, contracts, and other administrative functions of MEDC, including managing a $640M+ annual operating budget and $500M Deal Closing Fund. Under Quentin’s leadership, Michigan was recognized by CNBC as a Top Ten State for Doing Business for only the second time and has been able to attract over $20B in private investment commitments that will result in the creation of 13,000+ direct jobs.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Quentin serves on the boards of the Michigan Strategic Fund, Detroit Sports Commission, Michigan Israel Business Accelerator, International Economic Development Council (IEDC), Oklahoma University’s Economic Development Institute and the Michigan Council on Climate Solutions. He is a former member of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s U.S. Investment Advisory Council and the University of Michigan’s Innovation Partnerships National Advisory Board.

Prior to joining MEDC, Quentin was President & CEO at the New Orleans Business Alliance which, under his leadership, became one of fewer than 80 accredited economic development organizations worldwide by the IEDC. Quentin also previously served as the Assistant Secretary for Louisiana Economic Development.

A former corporate transactions attorney and management consultant, Quentin is a graduate of Princeton University, Columbia Law and Columbia Business Schools and a certified economic developer.

To learn more about the MEDC, please visit, www.michiganbusiness.org

Disclosure information not submitted.

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