Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter has made two key appointments to his administration, naming Walt Herzig as the deputy county executive who will be the liaison with the Board of Commissioners, the county’s delegations in the state Legislature and Congress along with the state and federal government and Harry Weaver III as the new Oakland County chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer.
Herzig has a long record of public service, including being the district director for U.S. Rep. Andy Levin, former U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, and former U.S. Sen. Carl Levin. He also was the chief of staff for former Lt. Gov. John Cherry.
In 2010, Herzig led the state government’s effort to educate Michigan residents about the U.S. Census and ensure a high participation rate. As a result of those efforts, Michigan had the fifth-highest mail response rate in the nation.
“Walt’s impressive record includes seamlessly working with leaders at all levels of government,” said Coulter. “He has a deep understanding of this county and state as well as the inner workings of the state and federal government and is uniquely qualified to work with the diverse array of communities that make up Oakland County.”
Herzig said he’s looking forward to continuing to build on the relationships with local communities that he developed during his time working in the congressional districts that included Oakland County.
“The county’s landscape includes urban, suburban, exurban and rural communities,” Herzig said. “Bridging the gaps and connecting those regions with county, state and federal resources will be a top priority.”
Herzig received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Weaver comes to the job with more than two decades working in the DEI space, at the Chippewa Valley School District in Clinton Township, as the education director and certified trainer at the Anti-Defamation League, Michigan Region for 16 years and as an independent DEI consultant.
With support from the Board of Commissioners, Coulter made creating this position a top priority in 2019 to provide vision and leadership in the development of new programs that advance the county’s efforts toward inclusive excellence.
“It is critical to champion a workforce that is welcoming and inclusive and represents the broad diversity of Oakland County. And I know Harry will be an outstanding leader in this job,” Coulter said. “Too often the work of DEI can seem academic or theoretical, but at its core, DEI seeks to ensure that workplaces are inclusive and supportive of all workers and our services are not just available but accessible to all residents.”
Weaver has developed anti-bias programming and training for corporations, communities, school districts, businesses and law enforcement agencies, helping to create an outstanding model that will translate seamlessly to Oakland County. In the new position, he also will take over as leader of the county’s Equity Council.
Weaver said that DEI work is necessary not only in times of conflict but in the everyday work environment as well.
“We spend a lot of time at work, so people need to learn about and be around people who are different from them,” he said. “And you want the people of your community to see a reflection of themselves at the county, regardless of their background.”
As a person who uses a wheelchair, Weaver also brings a unique perspective to the job that will benefit both employees and visitors to the county campus.
Weaver received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan.
Both Weaver and Herzig began their new roles last week.
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