William M. Wolfson

William M. Wolfson

Chief Administrative and Compliance Officer

William M. Wolfson is Chief Administrative and Compliance Officer for the Great Lakes Water Authority.

Prior to assuming this position, Mr. Wolfson served as the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department’s (DWSD) Chief Administrative and Compliance Officer as well as its General Counsel. Mr. Wolfson joined the DWSD as the utility’s first General Counsel in June 2012 and added the position of Chief Operating and Compliance Officer in August 2013.

Mr. Wolfson began his career in government as a seasonal Detroit Zoo employee. He later joined the City of Detroit Law Department as an attorney in 1986 and served in the Law Department under Mayors Coleman A. Young and Dennis Archer until 1998, working as the legal liaison to the Detroit City Council and on several key initiatives such as the casino and stadium development projects.

Upon leaving the City of Detroit, Mr. Wolfson moved to Wayne County’s Department of Corporation Counsel and was appointed Deputy Corporation Counsel by County Executive Edward McNamara. The succeeding County Executive, Robert Ficano, appointed Wolfson to the position of Assistant Deputy County Executive/Director of Legal Affairs. In that position, Mr. Wolfson was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the county government and its 4,500 employees.

Mr. Wolfson retired from his Wayne County position in July 2009; he then went into private practice and contracted to serve as Wayne County’s Interim Corporation Counsel.

Mr. Wolfson is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Minnesota Law School.