William J. “Bill” Cooper – Biography

Bill comes to Hamtramck with 6 years of experience as a City Manager, and a total of 16 years in city government. Prior to coming to Hamtramck, Bill spent 2 years as the City Manager for Mount Clemens, Michigan, and 4 years as the Village Administrator for the Village of Riverdale, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. He has a Liberal Arts degree from Governors State University which he earned through 10 years of night school as a part-time student.

Bill’s experience is wide and varied with 25 years of management experience, having worked in city government, and the banking and insurance industries. His background includes operations analysis, systems analysis and design, construction management and operations management.

Bill’s wife, Diana, grew up in Waterford, Michigan. Diana currently works for Delphi. They have a total of three children and 5 grand children.

The City Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the City. He is appointed by the City Council, and serves at the will of the City Council.

All departments within the City report to the City Manager. He is also responsible for the development and management of the city budget. (A detailed explanation of the Manager’s responsibilities is contained in the City Charter.)