Former Ann Arbor Administrator Tom Crawford Joins Ann Arbor SPARK as CFO

Ann Arbor SPARK announced that Tom Crawford has been contracted to serve as chief financial officer. Crawford brings to the organization a deep knowledge of financial strategy, human resources, and IT services in both the municipal and private sectors. As a senior member of the executive team, Crawford reports directly to CEO Paul Krutko.

In August 2021, former Ann Arbor City Administrator Tom Crawford resigned. Seven members of Ann Arbor City Council (Taylor, Disch, Song, Grand, Radina, Eyer and Briggs) had voted to terminate Crawford’s employment based on the results of a June 2021 “investigation” into anonymous complaints allegedly made by five, unnamed City staffers about Crawford’s allegedly inappropriate speech. While a report produced by local attorney Jennifer Salvatore did not recommend Crawford be dismissed, the members of Council, above, chose to do just that. They subsequently voted to release the June 2021 report to the public and, in doing so, publicly painted Crawford a racist, sexist, homophobe.

In April 2022, Crawford, through an attorney, sent a 10-page letter to Council members demanding they retract certain allegedly defamatory statements made about him.

In addition, in March 2022 former Ann Arbor City Attorney Bruce Laidlaw Laidlaw put Mayor Taylor, former City Attorney Stephen Postema and Jennifer Salvatore on notice that, “As a member of the State Bar, I feel I have a duty to report highly unprofessional conduct by attorneys. The efforts of the three of you to attack the reputation of Tom Crawford were unprofessional. If you cannot rationally explain those efforts, I intend to file a grievance with the State Bar.”

The grievance was filed and is being investigated.

“Tom brings a wealth of leadership and financial experience and strategic thinking to the table, and understands the complexities unique to our organization,” said Paul Krutko, president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK. “We are confident that Tom will be a strong leader and partner in helping us achieve our mission of driving economic growth in our community.

“I am thrilled to join this dynamic and innovative organization as the new CFO,” said Crawford. “I am excited to bring my financial expertise and leadership skills to the table and help the company achieve its objectives. I look forward to working further with the team and making a positive impact on the company’s future success.”

Crawford has decades of relevant experience in both the municipal and private sectors. Most recently, he served at different times as City Administrator and/or Chief Financial Officer for the City of Ann Arbor.

Tom Crawford earned his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a concentration in finance and marketing, and his MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.