The City of Novi has added an experienced leader to head its economic development efforts with the hiring of Michael D. McCready.

McCready comes to Novi from Oakland County where he currently works as the Senior Business Advisor, Department of Economic Development and Community Affairs. During his tenure with the County, McCready also served as the Acting Director of the Department of Economic Development and Community Affairs, overseeing 85 employees across seven divisions and leading retention and recruitment efforts of major Tier One auto suppliers, health care and high-tech companies.

Oakland County’s foreign and domestic investment under McCready’s watch was $575 million, and $234 million was generated by companies outside the United States. In total, 2,400 new and retained jobs were a result of this investment.

“It was not an easy decision to leave Oakland County, but my passion for making an impact at the local level drew me to Novi,” McCready said. “Novi is one of the premiere cities in all of Michigan and has an outstanding reputation across the world. It’s no surprise Novi was recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as being a city essential to the future of innovation, and I look forward to further enhancing those relationships and building new ones.”

Prior to joining Oakland County, McCready served the 40^th District in the Michigan House of Representatives. Highlights of his five-year tenure included sponsoring legislation that generated revenue used to fix Michigan roads, successfully negotiating a $46 million increase in university operations budgets, and supported $115 million in business development grants and loans from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Novi City Manager Pete Auger said he expects McCready to get up to speed quickly, and praised Novi City Council for their endorsement of the position.

“Our success as a City stems from the fact that we are never satisfied with the status quo,” said Auger. “We understand the value of relationships and thinking outside the box, and I believe under Mike’s stewardship we will continue to enhance our reputation as a global leader.”

McCready lives in Bloomfield Hills and is a graduate of Western Michigan University. He will join the Novi team on Feb. 8.