City Connect Detroit: Bio

N. Charles Anderson was reappointed President/CEO of the Detroit Urban League in January 1997. He previously served as Detroit Urban League President/CEO from October 1987 to January 1994. Anderson is the sixth and eighth person to serve CEO of the agency in its 89-year history. He is responsible for the vision; leadership and direction of one of Detroit’s premiere human and civil rights organizations. Founded in 1916, the Detroit Urban League is one of 100 plus affiliates of the New York-based National Urban League. The Detroit Urban League has a staff of approximately 40 employees and an annual budget of over $4 million. The Detroit Urban League’s mission is to enable African Americans and other people of color to cultivate and exercise their fullest potential on par with all other Americans. From January 1994 to January 1997, N. Charles Anderson was an appointee of former Detroit Mayor Dennis W. Archer, serving as Executive Director of the city’s Department of Human Services. From May 1983 to October 1987, Mr. Anderson served on the NAACP national staff as Director of the Midwest Region III, which encompassed seven Midwest states, including Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin. He has also worked in corporate America as a Sales and Marketing Representative and District Sales Manager. Anderson enjoys reading and golf. He is a native of Charlotte, North Carolina. Additionally, he is married to Marionette, a Detroit schoolteacher, proud father of three daughters and he has one grandson and granddaughter. He is a member of New Grace Baptist Church, where he sings in the choir and serves on the Finance Committee.

Board, Committee and Task Force Memberships (Partial List)

Chair of the Board – Health Alliance Plan
Member – Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors
Trustee - The Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation – Corporate Secretary
Former Vice Chair – Schools of the 21st Century
Member - Henry Ford Health System Board of Trustees – Chair, Public Responsibility Committee
Past Chair - Henry Ford Hospital Advisory Board
Board Member – Alliance for A Safer, Greater Detroit
Former Member - American Red Cross Board of Directors
Member - The Economic Club of Detroit
Former Trustee - Leadership Detroit
Trustee - Michigan Non-Profit Association (MNA)
Director/Trustee - New Detroit, Inc.
Commissioner - Detroit 300
Founding Member - Wayne State University Organization of Black Alumni (OBA)
Past President - Wayne State University Alumni Association (1996-97)
Former Member-at-Large - Detroit Board of Education (Nov.97-Dec.98)
Founding Member - Detroit Black Human Services Administrators
Past Member - Detroit Board of Police Commissioners Member - CATCH (Caring Athletes Team for Children & Henry Ford Hospitals) Board
Second Vice President, National Urban League Association of Executives

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