Barry Murray was appointed Director of Economic and Community Development for the City of Dearborn by Mayor Michael A. Guido in December 2005. He brings an impressive background of expertise in large-scale community and environmental planning and special development projects to the position including a wealth of experience related specifically to Dearborn and its development issues. He is a former vice president at the SmithGroup JJR, where he was responsible for directing the “Cities and Communities” practice. In that capacity, he served as a facilitator for Dearborn’s 23-member Parking Task Force in 1997, and supervised a feasibility study for a proposed inter-modal rail passenger station in Dearborn’s west end. In addition, he contributed to the development of a historic preservation designation in west Dearborn, which set guidelines for a neighborhood in transition between residential and commercial uses. His career at SmithGroup JJR, a consulting firm specializing in planning, landscape architecture, civil engineering and environmental services, spanned the years 1985-2004. He also spent time in the Detroit and Chicago offices of SmithGroup JJR. His responsibilities covered master planning, strategic planning, project administration, quality assurance, grant writing and community liaison services. He holds a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree in political science and psychology from Wayne State University.