Detroit’s Chief Operating Officer is leaving city government for a position at Wayne State University.
Brad Dick, an East English Village resident, oversaw multiple city departments as the COO since March 2023 and previously led efforts to eliminate blight as group executive for services and infrastructure. In a phone conversation this week, Dick said he’s proud of the mark he made on Detroit during his 18 years of public service and is excited to take his talents to WSU.
“I’ve loved everything I’ve done for the city,” Dick said Friday. “I’m not just saying this, and I’m getting a little choked up, it’s been an honor to work with the citizens of Detroit.”
WSU sent out a campus-wide email Friday afternoon announcing Dick’s hiring after being contacted by BridgeDetroit. Dick will start as the university’s senior associate vice president for finance and business affairs, and deputy chief business officer on Nov. 11. His last day with the city is Oct. 18.
Dick said he was most proud of his work to revitalize public parks that had “slipped” while the city emerged from bankruptcy. The city has poured significant investments into green space projects and stepped up the effort with federal pandemic relief that is helping to fund the Joe Louis Greenway loop, another highlight of Dick’s career.
“It’s so important for people in urban areas to have access to open spaces and parks,” Dick said. “I don’t have kids, I have parks. Those are my babies.”
Mayor Mike Duggan said Dick will be deeply missed but wished him the best in a statement provided to BridgeDetroit.
“Brad has been one of the most respected and accomplished leaders in city of Detroit government over the past 18 years, and his work has made our city a fundamentally better and more beautiful place,” Duggan said.
Dick said he had been in an elevator with Duggan two hours earlier, who told Dick that the press caught wind of his new job.
“I asked if he would say something nice about me and he just laughed,” Dick said.
Dick reflected on his work to mobilize emergency resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dick said he was surrounded by dedicated city employees who embodied the best of the city during an unprecedented crisis.
“It was a scary time,” Dick said. “Every day I went and thought I was going to die. I’m not very good at sitting at home. We rallied and we did it. But we lost a lot of good people, friends and relatives.
“The heart of any city is good civil servants. I know without a doubt that I’m leaving things in good hands.”
Dick was also behind the city’s “Hollywood-style” welcome sign, installed before the NFL Draft. The sign attracted mixed reactions on social media, and Duggan later ribbed him about how the sign was compared to memes generated by artificial intelligence. Dick told BridgeDetroit that Duggan’s remarks were all in good fun.
Dick’s new role includes business services, real estate and asset management, planning and space solutions and parking and transportation services. Bethany Gielczyk, senior vice president for finance and business affairs, chief financial officer and treasurer, credited Dick with spearheading recent successes for the city.
The list included highlights Dick mentioned, like bringing the NFL Draft to downtown Detroit, commissioning 300 murals, creating an urban agriculture program, overseeing COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites and the construction of the landmark Joe Louis Greenway.
“His warm and collaborative approach combined with his impressive experience in strategic capital planning, service optimization, and passion for serving Detroit will make Brad an incredible asset to Wayne State,” Gielczyk said in the email.
WSU did not respond to a question about his salary.