Robert D. Shimmin – Chair

With nearly forty years of real estate background, Robert is well versed in matters important to the Commerce Township Downtown Development Authority, having served as one of its founding members in 1984 and continually serving as its chairman to the present. He also served as a member and chairman of the Commerce Township Board of Review.

Robert has contributed to the growth of Oakland County as a founding member of the Oakland County Economic Development Corporation, appointed by Daniel Murphy, Oakland County’s first County Executive, and served as an officer and director from 1980 to 2003, while also serving as a director of the Oakland County Business Finance Corporation.

Robert has continually worked as a real estate broker since 1971, maintaining memberships in the National Association of Realtors, the Michigan Association of Realtors, serving also as President and director of the Western Wayne Oakland County Board of Realtors and is also a member of the Commercial Board of Realtors. He attended the University of Miami from 1960 through 1964; he also completed the University of Michigan/Dearborn Graduate Realtors Institute and the Oakland University, diploma in real estate program.