Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett announced today that he has selected Lafayette Crump as the city’s next commissioner of the Department of City Development, taking the place of retiring commissioner Rocky Marcoux.
Marcoux said this morning he planned to retire after serving 16 years at the helm of DCD.
Crump is chief diversity, vendor and engagement officer at the Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention.
He was also chief operating officer of Milwaukee-based Prism Technical Management and Marketing Services LLC, a consulting firm that focuses on inclusion, compliance monitoring and outreach efforts. It has helped contractors for major construction projects such as the Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons, Fiserv Forum and The Hop streetcar meet their workforce development goals.
Crump is also managing member of Crump Law Firm LLC, an adjunct professor of law at Marquette University, an advisory board member at The Salvation Army and was recently named president of the board of directors of Safe and Sound.
“Lafayette Crump is an ideal candidate to lead the Department of City Development because of his remarkable qualifications and his strong commitment to connect everyone with Milwaukee’s economic success,” Barrett said. “Throughout this city there are opportunities for new investment, more jobs, and improved inclusiveness. Commissioner Crump will be a champion of this economic development work.”
Marcoux will remain in his role until Crump’s appointment is approved by the Common Council.
DCD is Milwaukee’s lead agency for economic development, planning, real estate, commercial corridor development and private-sector housing development. The department houses both the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee and the Neighborhood Improvement Development Corp.
First appointed by Barrett in 2004, Marcoux holds title as the longest-serving DCD commissioner in the city’s history.
“I’m proud of my service to the city, and I would say it’s been an honor and a privilege to serve this mayor and to serve our city,” he said.
Marcoux, who turns 62 on Saturday, said he began seriously contemplating retirement in December. He said his wife retired at that time, and added his decision is based on his desire to see his family more.
Marcoux has worked for the city of Milwaukee since 1986, which includes 18 years at the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee. He started as housing manager for Hillside Terrace, and eventually became HACM director of development. He oversaw redevelopment of public housing, which was done with federal HOPE VI program funding.
He said that some of the city’s successes during his years leading DCD have been the development boom seen in downtown, revitalization of areas such as the Menomonee Valley and Harbor District, and the tens of thousands of new housing units constructed citywide.
