There is a shift in the management structure at the city of College Station.
The city’s new person in charge of economic development and tourism activities, officially known as chief development officer, is planning and development services director Michael Ostrowski.
A city news release says Ostrowski has prior economic development experience at two cities in Wisconsin.
He follows Natalie Ruiz, who left earlier this year.
News release from the city of College Station:
Michael Ostrowski has been named the City of College Station’s chief development officer. He begins his new role in mid-February.
The chief development officer leads the Economic Development and Tourism Department and serves as an executive leader in the City Manager’s Office. Economic Development and Tourism has 18 employees and an FY 24 operations budget of over $6 million.
Ostrowski has been the city’s director of Planning & Development Services since 2020 and has almost two decades of experience in the economic development and planning industry. He came to College Station after a year as assistant planning director in San Marcos and 15 years in municipal government in Wisconsin.
In 2022, Ostrowski received the City of College Station’s Leadership Award. He recently led efforts to address housing challenges by implementing a new Middle Housing zoning district and the most extensive city-initiated rezoning effort in College Station’s history. Ostrowski also played a crucial role in addressing neighborhood integrity concerns through Shared Housing use regulations.
“Michael is a tremendous asset to the City of College Station with extensive experience in economic development and planning in university cities,” City Manager Bryan Woods said. “He’s done incredible work in our Planning & Development Services Department, and we’re excited for him to continue that success in Economic Development and Tourism.”
Ostrowski began his economic development and planning career with the City of Greenfield, Wisconsin, in 2006. He became the planning and economic development director for the City of Wisconsin Rapids in 2008, where he was responsible for attracting and coordinating new development and retaining and expanding existing businesses.
From 2010-19, Ostrowski served as community development director for the City of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, overseeing building inspections, economic development, historic preservation, neighborhood improvement, planning and zoning, and property assessment.
In Stevens Point, he helped lead a downtown redevelopment project involving relocating a technical college into a nearly vacant downtown mall, sparking significant investments. Ostrowski also worked to create a 760-acre business and industrial park and secure hundreds of millions of dollars in new construction growth.
“It’s an honor to be selected for this opportunity,” Ostrowski said. “I’m grateful to continue working with the City of College Station’s devoted staff and leadership. I’ve seen how hard they work every day to improve the local quality of life, and their commitment to the city’s success will be a key driver in creating a conducive environment for further economic growth. I look forward to collaborating with area businesses, organizations, and other stakeholders and leaders in promoting and enhancing our community’s economic development and tourism potential.”
Ostrowski is a certified economic developer by the International Economic Development Council and a certified planner by the American Institute of Certified Planners. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics, political science, and public administration from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and a master’s in public administration and urban planning from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.