Detroit mayor selects GV alumnus for press secretary

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has named Grand Valley State University alumnus Edward Cardenas as his press secretary.

Cardenas, 35, is a former Detroit News reporter and spokesman for U.S. Rep. Candice Miller. He also was a volunteer with the Detroit Local Organizing Committee for the men's NCAA Final Four and the National Summit. He graduated from Grand Valley in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in International Relations.

Cardenas joins Bing’s communications team, which includes Karen Dumas, interim communications director; Meagan Pitts, deputy press secretary; and Dan Liljana, communications manager.

"It is an honor to work for Mayor Dave Bing and the residents of Detroit," Cardenas said. "After graduating from Grand Valley State University in 1995, I chose to return to Metro Detroit and be part of the revitalization that was occurring in the city and region. Armed with the knowledge and skills I gained at Grand Valley, I look forward to being part of the continued renaissance of the city and region."

When he was at Grand Valley, Cardenas was an active member of the Student Senate and helped establish the Latino Student Union. He was also a member of Delta Sigma Phi, and his involvement in campus activities earned him the Kenneth R. Venderbush Student Leadership Award his senior year.

Cardenas in part attributes his passion for stories about people who make difference to his time spent at Grand Valley State University. "Grand Valley has made such a big impact on me, and I have a commitment to people and organizations that have impacted and assisted me. I had such a good experience while I was in school."