As Pride Month draws to a close, MotorCities presents an interview conducted by our Executive Director Shawn Pomaville-Size earlier this week with Oakland County Executive David Coulter. He currently serves as Oakland County's third County Executive. His inclusive style seeks to leverage the strength of county government and tap the broad diversity of residents to open a new doorway for future progress.
Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter and Shawn Pomaville Size in his office
Coulter has more than two decades of local government and executive experience. He represented Southeast Oakland County on the Board of Commissioners from 2002-2010, where he became the first openly gay elected official in state history.
Coulter then served as Mayor of Ferndale. At his first meeting, he directed City staff to begin implementing multi-year budgeting. He also formed the Mayor's Business Council in order to be more responsive to industrial and large businesses. During his tenure, Ferndale improved their credit rating twice, lowered city taxes, reduced the industrial vacancy rate, invested in local roads, parks and parking accessibility in their thriving downtown.
At the same time, Coulter served as the Director of External Relations for the Children's Foundation of Michigan, formerly the Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation. Under his leadership the Foundation invested in abuse and neglect, nutritional wellness and cancer research.
Coulter also served as the Executive Director of the Michigan AIDS Fund which funded HIV prevention programs. Early in his career he was a Senior Public Affairs Officer for Michigan Consolidated Gas Company, a school teacher and a senior engineering draftsman.
Raised in St. Clair Shores, Coulter attended St. Joan of Arc School and graduated from Bishop Gallagher High School in Harper Woods. He then earned a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University and an Executive Education Certificate from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Watch the entire interview here.