Detroit Regional Chamber Bio

Kevyn Orr

Former Emergency Manager, City of Detroit

Kevyn Orr is the former emergency manager for the city of Detroit. He was appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder in 2013 and was charged with restructuring the city’s finances and operations. During his tenure, Orr oversaw the largest municipal bankruptcy proceeding in the nation’s history. As a result, Detroit successfully restructured $18 billion in debt, developed and implemented a multi-year $1.7 billion revitalization plan for city services and operations, put the city’s art in a public trust, and avoided drastic cuts to pension and related retiree benefits.

Orr has practiced law in the areas of business restructuring, financial institution regulation and commercial litigation for three decades. Prior to his appointment, Orr served as director of the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees in the U.S. Department of Justice. He was also a member of the Jones Day law firm, serving as the firmwide partner for hiring and diversity. He is a member of the Florida and Washington D.C. bars, the American Bar Association and the American Bankruptcy Institute.