Wednesday, August 16, 2023 — Cleveland — Mayor Justin M. Bibb announced today that Tom McNair will be the new Director of Economic Development for the City of Cleveland.
McNair will assume the role from Interim Director Terri Hamilton-Brown, who has been leading the city’s economic development team since June 20, 2023. His first day will be September 25.
“I am pleased to welcome Tom to the team. His smart growth mindset and focus on people-oriented development make him an ideal fit for this role moving forward,” said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “We are also deeply grateful to Terri Hamilton-Brown for stepping into the interim director role and for her hard work and dedication over the past two months.”
In this role, McNair will carry forward the implementation of ARPA-funded initiatives including the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund, revitalizing the southeast side, and minority contractor business assistance. He will also be focused on supporting the city’s efforts to revamp economic development incentives, helping small businesses grow, increasing traded sector jobs and leading efforts around equitable neighborhood development.
McNair most recently served as the Executive Director of Ohio City Incorporated (OCI), a community development corporation serving Cleveland’s historic Ohio City neighborhood. In this role, McNair led a staff of eleven guiding the planning, promotion, and development in Ohio City, a diverse community of over 10,000 residents and over 250 local businesses. Before taking on the executive position, McNair served as OCI’s Director of Economic Development and Planning.
McNair has led several planning processes that have been adopted by the Cleveland City Planning Commission including one for the City of Cleveland’s first protected bikeway, and one to that would create the first waterfront park in America directly connected to public housing while equitably tying together an emerging regional trail network.
McNair is a native of Chagrin Falls and holds a bachelor's degree in interior architecture and design from Ohio University. He and his family are longtime residents of the Buckeye-Shaker neighborhood.
