Northside Development Group announces CEO transition and celebrates transformative leadership

Northside Development Group (NDG) announces that Michael Williamson, who has served as CEO for the past five years, will be transitioning to a new role as Vice President of Housing and Community Development at Purpose Built Communities. Under his visionary leadership, NDG has achieved significant milestones, positively impacting the Northside community and establishing a solid foundation for its future growth.

“Michael has been a driving force for positive change in our community,” said John Verreault, Chair of the NDG Board. “His commitment to resident-led transformation and his ability to bring strategic initiatives to life have been central to NDG’s success. We are deeply grateful for his dedication and leadership and wish him all the best in his new role.”

Key Accomplishments Under Michael’s Leadership

• Education: NDG launched the Family Academy as part of Movement 2030, connecting families to their children’s development from cradle to career. The initiative supported students at Cleveland Academy of Leadership, Carver Middle School, and Spartanburg High School. NDG also helped The Franklin School achieve a 5-star rating for its Community-Based classrooms, the highest possible rating, while providing sliding-scale scholarships to ensure early education accessibility. Additionally, NDG secured $120,000 to renovate Cleveland Academy’s playground, supported additional staff and student programs and celebrated the first “Excellent” report rating in the history of the school.
• Housing: NDG and partners completed the construction or renovation of 300 mixed-income apartments, including the Lofts at Northside Station, 500 Northside Station, The Ellington, Victoria Gardens, and the Northside Townhomes. An additional 200 rental homes are either planned or currently under construction. NDG also prioritized homeownership, completing 43 new homes and offering down payment assistance of up to $30,000 to 19 homebuyers, with an additional 70 homes for homeownership in the pipeline.
• Community Wellness: Key health partners co-located in the Northside to provide convenient health access for residents. This includes AccessHealth, BirthMatters, and the Northside Clinic, a Federally Qualified Health Center created by the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine and operated by Regenesis Healthcare.
• Economic Vitality: NDG supported more than 70 entrepreneurs through the Start:ME Program, and awarded $200,000 in grants, loans, and capital investments to over 30 businesses. The opening of The Hub at the Northside’s gateway brought fresh prepared foods, coffee, and Wofford’s bookstore to the community.
• Planning for the Future: NDG finalized its 2025–2030 strategic plan, outlining bold goals in housing, education, wellness, economic vitality, and leadership. The plan also introduced Thrive Spartanburg, an initiative to use NDG’s capacity to assist other communities in Spartanburg with their transformation efforts.

As NDG bids farewell to Michael, the organization remains deeply committed to empowering resident-led community transformation and fostering a thriving Northside community. The NDG Board of Directors has appointed Carmeisha White, Director of Operations and Finance, as Interim CEO. The board has also enlisted Boardwalk Consulting, a national executive search firm specializing in recruiting CEOs and senior leaders for nonprofits and foundations, to assist in finding NDG’s next CEO. Interested candidates are encouraged to email NDG@BoardWalkConsulting.com.