Lafayette L. Crump
Lafayette L. Crump, JD, is the City of Milwaukee Commissioner of City Development.
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Lafayette most recently served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief Diversity, Vendor and Engagement Officer for the Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee of the Democratic National Convention, where he ensured community involvement, the inclusion of local and diverse businesses, and corporate adherence to ethical, environmental, and employment and accessibility practices.
Lafayette was also Chief Operating Officer of Prism Technical Management & Marketing Services, LLC, a multidisciplinary management consulting firm based in Milwaukee, WI, with an office in St. Louis, MO, and experience across the United States.
Prism is most known for its development, management and monitoring of programs and projects that ensure supplier and workforce diversity, inclusion and equity, particularly on large scale construction projects and events, and within sizable organizations.
Under Lafayette’s leadership, challenging supplier and workforce diversity targets were consistently surpassed, including on Milwaukee projects such as Fiserv Forum, the Northwestern Mutual Tower & Commons, the Milwaukee Streetcar, Century City, The Brewery, The Moderne and more.
Lafayette also led the growth of Prism’s Business Development Training Program and Regional Internships in Science & Engineering Programs, in conjunction with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, which helped grow many of the region’s most successful diverse contractors and consultants and developed and placed talented diverse STEM students from Milwaukee with local technical firms, construction companies, and governmental units.
In addition to his work for Prism, Lafayette practiced law for a number of years, working to ensure equity for small businesses and nonprofits, and is an adjunct professor at Marquette University Law School, where his focus is ensuring that law students understand the needs, expectations and reality of business owners.
Lafayette is the past Chair of the Board for Safe & Sound, a public-private nonprofit uniting residents, youth, law enforcement and community partners to build safe and empowered neighborhoods.
He also serves on the boards of the Salvation Army, the Visit Milwaukee Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Committee and the Wauwatosa Equity and Inclusion Commission.
Lafayette’s commitment to the community has been recognized via the Milwaukee Business Journal Forty Under 40 award, the Milwaukee Times Black Excellence Award, the University School of Milwaukee Alumni Service Award and The Foley & Lardner Lyndford Lardner Attorney Service Award.
Lafayette is a graduate of Duke University and Duke University School of Law, where, collectively, he served on the Journal of Gender Law & Policy, the Harassment Grievance Board, the Moot Court Board, and was president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
In addition to his current Board affiliation, Lafayette has served on the Boards of the Black Child Development Institute, University School of Milwaukee Alumni Board, Greater Milwaukee Nonprofit Institute, and the State Bar Media Relations Committee.
Lafayette has mentored and taught as a volunteer for Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Junior Achievement, the Milwaukee Black & Latino Male Mentor Program and other organizations committed to nurturing and empowering young people.