Anderson to Officially Fill Joliet Community Development Position

Joliet City Manager Beth Beatty announced today that interim Community Development Director Dustin Anderson has been hired as the city’s permanent director to lead the department responsible for promoting the comprehensive growth and sustainability of the city and its neighborhoods.

Anderson has been serving as a consultant since April 22nd to oversee the department which includes several key areas such as Planning & Zoning, Neighborhood Services, Building, Inspection Division, and Economic Development. 

“The city is fortunate to have found a person with Dustin’s unique background, expertise and long list of accomplishments to fill this important position,” explained Beatty. “He has been involved in municipal operations since 2006 and has proven his ability to lead the department successfully the past several months.  We are delighted he has accepted the position to be a part of the transformational change Joliet is experiencing.” 

Anderson spent nearly a decade as the Town Manager in Munster, Indiana a position comparable to a city/village manager overseeing the town’s entire operations including Finance, Human Resources, Public Works, Community Development, Police, and Fire. Among his many achievements was the success in securing funding for and completion of a $25 million intersection realignment and grade separation project, the first revision of the Town’s land development code in thirty years and oversaw more than $100 million in public-private-partnership commercial development. During his tenure, Anderson also led the town’s strategic vision and established the framework for the expansion of transit-oriented development in anticipation of an $820 million extension of the regional commuter transit district. 

Dustin holds a Master of Public Affairs from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Criminal Justice from Indiana University.