KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – More organizations in the Kalamazoo area are separating themselves from the economic development organization Southwest Michigan First, after it announced the hiring of former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield as its new CEO.
Chatfield, a Republican, has since taken criticism for policy stances while a legislative leader, such as when he opposed legislation that would expand civil rights protections to include gender identity and sexual orientation in 2019, saying at the time he believed it would infringe on religious freedom.
In a release issued Friday, officials with The Kalamazoo Promise said “Given the recent hire of Southwest Michigan First’s CEO, and the position he’s held in regard to matters of diversity, equity and inclusion, The Kalamazoo Promise has decided to separate ties from the SWMF Board of Directors.”
Though a representative from The Kalamazoo Promise serves on the Southwest Michigan First board of directors, the group says that representative did not participate in the selection or hiring of the new CEO.
The Kalamazoo City Commission was the first to pull its support from Southwest Michigan First. The county Board of Commissioners has also discussed pulling its funding of the group.
The Kalamazoo Community Foundation this week it was pulling its support, and the president of Kalamazoo Valley Community College resigned this week from the SWMF board because of the CEO selection.
Western Michigan University President Edward Montgomery, a Southwest Michigan First board member, criticized the CEO choice in a statement issued to MLive this week.
Southwest Michigan First provides economic development services in a seven county area, which includes Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Branch, St. Joseph, Cass, Van Buren, and Berrien counties.
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