Two more candidates desired
By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
OXFORD — The Oxford Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors is expected to appoint three candidates to form a 501c3 nonprofit board this month.
While three candidates were already listed in the meeting’s agenda packet, DDA board Vice President Grace Carey said at a previous meeting the board would start with “maybe five members.”
Five would be enough for an executive board and a liaison member to the DDA, according to Carrey. DDA Executive Director Kelly Westbrook said in June that Carey was going to be the 501c3’s president, but has since resigned due to unexpected circumstances.
Applications for the board started being accepted in July.
The first listed is Angela Aycock, who most recently worked for Comerica Bank until August 2022. Aycock’s time at Comerica included being a trust and estate advisor vice president from August 1999 to June 2020 and an advisor to the Prince estate from January 2021 to August 2022, according to her resume.
Former Oxford Village Council member Ashley Ross applied. She has nonprofit and fundraising management experience from her role with the Hana St. Juliana Memorial Fund and Garden, according to her resume. Ross also works as a freelance grant consultant and as the associate director of collections and impact at the Marshall M. Fredricks sculpture museum.
The final candidate listed is certified public accountant Mark Cleand. Cleand most recently spent 11 years as Chief Financial Officer for investment banking firm Donnelly Penman. According to DDA documents, Cleand’s responsibilities at the firm included administration, accounting, tax, finance, HR, regulatory compliance and financial reporting.
Westbrook told the Oxford Leader the 501c3 would allow Oxford to apply for additional grants, be used for operational costs and more. According to Westbrook, the DDA’s funds are currently pre-locked because it is funded by tax capture.
Anyone interested in learning more about the position can email dda@thevillageofoxford.org. The DDA’s next meeting is 7 p.m. Aug. 19 at Oxford Village Hall.