Former CBRE Employee, Philly Development Vet Get City Government Appointments
Mayor Cherelle Parker reaffirmed Philadelphia’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion while appointing several new leaders to city government positions Friday. At least two have strong ties to the real estate world.
Former CBRE Diversity Sourcing Manager Nadir Jones is now the city’s director of business impact and supplier diversity, while Andy Toy has left his policy director position at the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corps. to helm the Department of Planning’s Home Appraisal Equity Program.
Despite the anti-DEI backlash afoot in the federal government and beyond, Jones, Toy and Parker emphasized equity in their remarks Friday.
“My mission is clear: to pave a way for underrepresented entrepreneurs to flourish in this economy,” said Jones, who will work within the Office of Economic Opportunity.
“He led their global supplier diversity program to new heights,” Parker said. “We’re not shying away from that.”
Toy will lead a program meant to minimize racial wealth disparities stemming from the home appraisal process. The issue was a major priority for Parker during her term as a city council member. She released a detailed report of recommendations for remedying the issue in 2022.
“‘Equity’ in Philadelphia is a good word,” Toy said. “In some places, they’re trying to exclude equity. I don’t understand that.”
Jefferson Health Board Chair Patricia Wellenbach was appointed chief strategy and partnership officer.
Her appointment came just weeks after the hospital operator’s CEO, Joseph Cacchione, revealed he might move the system’s headquarters out of Market East following its merger with the Lehigh Valley Health Network. Cacchione's relocation talk came after the mayor requested that educational and medical institutions contribute to the city’s budget, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Wellenbach said it is likely she would be involved with the upcoming Market East revitalization task force, which Parker announced last week during her budget proposal address. The group will be helmed by Brandywine Realty Trust CEO Jerry Sweeney.
“My guess is I’ll have something to do with that, too,” Wellenbach said.
Parker seemed to preempt questions about why she was making appointments more than a year after she was inaugurated.
“There are several people I know who thought we should have been here a little earlier, but I want to make sure that we get the best person for every position in our administration,” she said. “We will not be rushed in this process.”
