Aerotropolis announces interim director after resignation of Rob Luce

The Detroit Region Aerotropolis Development Corporation named Marco Salomone as interim director at its recent quarterly corporate board meeting. He will step into the position following the resignation of Rob Luce, current executive director, which is effective Dec. 27.
Salomone has worked for Aerotropolis more than three and a half years as the Director of Business Development. He has been responsible for generating and responding to business development leads and inquiries and for managing corporate expansion projects including but not limited to site identification and analysis as well as regional market data and demographic information.
Going forward, he will also be responsible for the strategic development and day-to-day operations of the organization, reporting directly to the board of directors.
Salomone holds a degree in Public Administration & Public Policy from Michigan State University. He is a member of the Michigan Economic Developers Association, along with numerous foreign chambers of commerce and business associations.
At the same meeting, the board elected David Glaab as its new chairman, effective 2019. Glaab, supervisor of Huron Charter Township, received his B.A. from Purdue University. He obtained his Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) cum laude from the Detroit College of Law where he earned the American Jurisprudence Award for Excellence in Insurance Law. Supervisor Glaab is also engaged in the private practice of law and is a contributing author of the book WEALTH Enchancement & Preservation; The Intitute, 1994.
“The future for the Detroit Region Aerotropolis looks bright,” said Tim Keyes, 2018 board chairman. “Industry vacancy rates are at historic lows, we have over 6,000 acres of shovel-ready land in a prime logistics and transportation hub, and great leadership at the helm. We’ve been very successful in the last few years and I believe that this is just the beginning.”
Luce submitted his resignation on Nov. 19 and Aerotropolis accepted it on Nov. 30. Luce said he will pursue a new opportunity and will work with Aerotropolis to assure a smooth transition.
“Rob has done a great job in his tenure at the Aerotropolis,” said Keyes, board chairman. “We will be looking for someone with similar attributes that will continue the momentum that Rob has created these last two years.”
Van Buren Township pays $25,000 a year, through its Downtown Development Authority, to belong to Aerotropolis and has publicly praised Luce for his work to bring the Pancake Project to the 80-acre Smith Farm in Denton.
Luce’s work influenced the township to pay the dues for another year, because in the past the Aerotropolis did not do any significant work for development in the township, said township officials.
Current members of Aerotropolis, besides Van Buren Township, are DTE Energy, CBRE, MEDC, Wayne County Airport Authority, City of Romulus, City of Taylor, Huron Township, Washtenaw County, and Wayne County.