Ford Motor Co. has named a CEO of Michigan Central, the innovation district the Dearborn-based automaker is constructing in and across the outdated practice station in Detroit.
Joshua Sirefman, the co-founder and former president of Sidewalk Labs in New York, will take the helm of the district. Sirefman, 54, shall be chargeable for the true property improvement, in addition to collaboration throughout completely different sectors, Ford stated in a information launch Monday. He’ll be in control of the Innovation Companies Enterprise that oversees the agenda set by Ford, Google and different companions within the collaborative area.
Sirefman may even deal with recruitment and placemaking, in addition to coordinating governance of the location to make sure there’s sustainable innovation exercise that takes place there.
His position will embrace oversight of Michigan Central Basis, the brand new philanthropic arm that may present coaching, programming and analysis for residents, college students and companies within the space.
Sirefman is the “good match” to steer the event, Mary Culler, chief of employees to Ford Government Chair Invoice Ford and president of Ford’s philanthropic arm, the Ford Fund, stated within the launch.
“His expertise in mobility, developmental planning and neighborhood engagement — which was particularly necessary to us — shall be key to serving to information the district’s workforce and companions alongside the trail to significant innovation that really helps in making a extra accessible future for all,” Culler stated.
“Like all issues, the most effective concepts in mobility come from numerous views and I firmly consider Michigan Central is uniquely positioned to each catalyze such concepts and assist the long-term vitality of Detroit,” Sirefman stated within the launch. “I see this unimaginable asset — Michigan Central — and the work developed and piloted right here dwelling on the nexus of bodily, social and financial mobility. As an open platform welcoming all to interrupt new boundaries in innovation throughout all three fronts, now we have an thrilling alternative to be a world-leading place of affect — beginning with Detroit communities and increasing outward.”
Sirefman is a New York native, however has ties to Detroit via the creation and operation of a program via the Islandview Village Improvement Corp., a nonprofit neighborhood redevelopment group. This system remodeled a declining industrial hall right into a mannequin city industrial space whereas encouraging job development and financial improvement. Sirefman additionally co-designed a citywide grassroots industrial retention program as a member of Detroit Financial Progress Corp.
His expertise contains city planning, know-how and authorities within the public, personal, institutional and nonprofit sectors. Sirefman has a grasp’s diploma in city planning from the College of Michigan and a bachelor’s from Wesleyan College.
Sidewalk Labs was based as an Alphabet firm targeted on city innovation. Previous to its creation, Sirefman began Sirefman Ventures, a improvement companies agency that leads transformative initiatives for company, nonprofit and authorities entities. It led Cornell College’s bid in a New York Metropolis competitors to draw a brand new utilized sciences graduate program and helped lead the event of the Cornell Tech campus. Sirefman additionally was a member of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s financial improvement workforce and oversaw improvement in the USA for Brookfield Properties.
Michigan Central will function as an entirely owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Co. The 30-acre district will deal with technique and planning, enterprise improvement, innovation companies and mobility partnerships.
The district’s targets embrace the way forward for mobility and thru Michigan Central, a public-private partnership together with Michigan and Detroit designated a Transportation Innovation Zone at Michigan Central, the primary within the Midwest. It’ll enable corporations to pilot applied sciences in a protected, real-world surroundings.
The previous practice station that anchors the district is ready to open in 2023. Work is already being performed via Michigan Central, together with an app that helps visually impaired individuals navigate sophisticated city landscapes, packages to assist electrification of business fleets and work towards altering how items transfer on the primary and final 50 toes of their journey.