Mayor Duffy launches Department of Neighborhood and Business Development

Mayor RobertDuffy has created the Department of Neighborhood and Business Development (NBD), a new city agency being created through the reorganization of the departments of Economic Development, Community Development and the Neighborhood Service Centers. "Combining the delivery of neighborhood and business services will further our goal of becoming the best mid-sized city in America," Duffy said. "The Department of Neighborhood and Business Development allows us to improve customer service while reducing the cost of government, which ultimately helps us bring vitality to our residential and commercial districts." The new agency will begin operations July 1, under the direction of Carlos Carballada, the current commissioner of the Department of Economic Development. Carballada, who will retain the title commissioner, will now oversee the final stages of the consolidation process, which started in July, 2008 under the direction of the deputy mayor. The new department will be reflected the 2009-10 city budget. "With almost 50 years experience in banking and management and a proven track record in city hall, Carlos Carballada is uniquely qualified to help make this vision a reality," Duffy said. In his new position, Carballada will determine the department's organizational structure and staffing, which will include consideration of future options forJulio Vazquez and Molly Clifford, who head up the current Department of Community Development and Neighborhood Service Centers, respectively. Carballada was appointed to lead economic development in 2006 after a successful career as a private-sector executive, most recently as director of M&T Bank Corp. Highlights of his term in city hall include negotiations to bring the ESL Federal Credit Union headquarters to downtown; starting a massive project to replace the Midtown Plaza site with a mixed-use development anchored by the world headquarters of PAETEC Holding Corp.; and the retention of more than 1,000 jobs at the Delphi and Gleason corporations. "I want to thank Julio Vazquez and Molly Clifford for their selfless support of this process," Carballada said. "With their help, I am confident we can meet the goal of creating this new department by July 1. I am honored that mayor Duffy has selected me to lead this new agency and help improve city government."