In February 2023, Mayor Eric Adams appointed Michael J. Garner as NYC’s first Chief Business Diversity Officer after a career spanning 30 years at the NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA), the NYC School Construction Authority (SCA), and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, State of New York (MTA). Mr. Garner will be responsible for driving the Mayor’s aggressive vision of awarding $25 billion in contracts to NYC-certified Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises by 2026 and $60 billion by 2030. Through innovative programming and innovation, during his career, Mr. Garner’s teams have been responsible for more than $20 billion in payments made to NYC/NYS certified MWBEs.

During his tenure at the MTA, they were ranked first in payments made to NYS-certified MWBEs, representing 30% of all payments made by NYS during that time period. NY State Fiscal Years 2020/21 - 2022/23 saw the MTA pay over $1.7 billion to NYS-certified MWBEs, and $891 million to certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, (DBEs) on USDOT-funded contracts. Notably, 37% of those dollars were paid to Black and Hispanic-owned businesses.

In July 2021, Mr. Garner was selected by Crain’s New York Business as “Top Diversity and Inclusion Officer of the Year. He serves as an advisor on MWDBE matters to various Cities/States, including the Cities of Buffalo, Chicago, Jacksonville, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), and the State of New Jersey.

Mr. Garner’s innovative programming has ensured access to government contracts for various communities of color. As a result, those communities have experienced job creation, better educational opportunities, home ownership, and expanded health care options.