TOM COTRUVO

Duluth, Minnesota

AFFILIATION: Executive Director, Duluth Economic Development Authority, Manager of Business Development, City of Duluth, and Administrator, Duluth 1200 Fund Inc.

AREA OF EXPERTISE: Economic development financing, business retention and recruitment, city planning and architecture.

BACKGROUND & EXPERIENCE: Tom’s career began in architecture and urban design, working for H.A. Henshaw, Consultants, in Cleveland, Ohio.  He began as a senior planner with the City of Duluth, but as Duluth lost industrial jobs and faced high unemployment, he focused on economic development.  He has been involved in projects ranging from a $425 million greenfield paper mill, to a downtown storefront renovation  program, as Duluth fought back to restructure its economy.  Key projects include an aviation cluster centered on Cirrus Design’s aircraft manufacturing facility (now the largest manufacturer of single engine aircraft in the world) and a Downtown Renaissance Program featuring skywalks, brick streetscape, and a lakewalk recreational area.  His focus is how to build Duluth’s economy based upon its quality of life.

RESEARCH INTERESTS: Tom is interested in understanding the various forces that come into play with a successful multi-use urban development: design, economics, cultural context, community participation, etc.  His research will focus on defining what separates truly outstanding developments from those that are merely implemented.

E-MAIL: tcotruvo@ci.duluth.mn.us