EAST LANSING, Mich. — The City of East Lansing is pleased to welcome back Tim Dempsey, who is now serving as the interim director of the East Lansing Department of Planning, Building & Development (PBD).
Dempsey previously worked for the City of East Lansing for 15 years, seven of which he served as deputy city manager and the director of the East Lansing Department of Planning, Building and Development and three of which he served as the director of the East Lansing Department of Planning & Community Development prior to its merger with East Lansing’s former Department of Code Enforcement & Neighborhood Conservation. He left in 2019 to pursue a new opportunity as vice president of the talent and economics team at Public Sector Consultants, a position in which he served until returning to the City.
“Tim is a dedicated, innovative leader who has spent his career working to support community and economic development for the betterment of Michigan communities, including East Lansing,” said East Lansing Interim City Manager Randy Talifarro. “We are fortunate to have him back at the helm of the East Lansing Department of Planning, Building & Development in this interim role.”
In his new, interim capacity with the City, Dempsey plans to use his many years of experience with managing organizational strategy and municipal management to lead the day-to-day operations of the PBD department, while also leading the hiring process for several key leadership positions within the department.
“It’s great to be back working with the City of East Lansing’s PBD team,” said Dempsey. “As a resident of this great community, it’s an honor to return and serve in this interim capacity as we work to move the department forward, while also continuing to provide a high level of services to the East Lansing community.”
Dempsey has a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from The State University of New York (SUNY) at Geneseo and a Master of Arts in Geography from Miami University. Prior to joining the City of East Lansing originally in 2004, Dempsey served as director of development for the City of Saginaw. He lives in East Lansing with his wife, Heidi, and has two grown children.