LANSING – The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has reorganized some positions within the agency that became effective this week, including scaling down the number of its vice presidents from 21 to eight. However, as the MEDC continues to work out its strategic plan through the end of the year, MEDC spokesperson Mike Shore warned the interim positions could change again.

But it appears none of the ex vice presidents have lost their jobs, just their titles, sources said.

The remaining vice president positions include: Doug Parks (operations), Sandy Ring (business development), Minesh Mody (finance), George Zimmerman (Travel Michigan), Jeff Mason (technology development), Julie Fivas (human resources), Julie Karkosak (legal), Shore and Chief of Staff Cindy Douglas. All positions will directly report to MEDC CEO James Epolito, who took over at the agency in September from Don Jakeway, whose duties now focus solely on developing the Michigan image for the upcoming Super Bowl game in Detroit.

In other personnel changes, MEDC recently moved 34 of its employees over to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority as part of a restructuring under Epolito.

The jobs transition allowed MEDC to cut $3 million in its budget to cover gaps in funding ($2.5 million in job creation services and $500,000 in administration).

“In order to do what we’ve been doing we need to redeploy people. Most of (the changes this week) is not earth shattering,” Shore said. “Things that changed on Monday in terms of retitling might all change the first of January. The whole point of the process is to get us to a place where we have matched our priorities.”

Shore said it was too early to know what each responsibility of the agency’s would be delegated to its employees, but said a decision will be made in a month.

The MEDC had come over heavy criticism from Rep. Jack Brandenburg (R-Harrison Township), chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Development, during its last budget cycle when he said economic development agencies such as these are overrated.

Brandenburg came down heavily on the salaries and number of MEDC vice presidents at the time, but the new reorganization looks to be an improvement, said Rich Studley of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.

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