The Baltimore Development Corporation’s next leader will be Otis Rolley, Mayor Brandon Scott announced on Friday, following a monthslong search.

Rolley, a longtime Baltimore resident, is the first African American man to lead the city’s agency, according to a press release. He will step into the role starting on June 23.

”After deploying over a billion dollars of impact, I’m eager to leverage my knowledge and networks for the city that shaped me,” Rolley said in a statement. “Together, we will ensure that Baltimore’s economic renaissance reaches every corner of our city, creating pathways to prosperity for all residents.”

The Baltimore Development Corp. (BDC) is the economic development agency for the city. The department was heavily involved in some of the city’s largest development projects, like the new Lexington Market, the renovated CFG Bank Arena and the transformed Baltimore Peninsula.

Rolley, an Otterbein resident, has a long history in Baltimore and with economic and community development. Before this new role, he worked as a social impact advisor at Kingdom Capital in St. Louis, Missouri.

He was the first African American to head the Wells Fargo Foundation, and he held senior leadership roles at The Rockefeller Foundation.

Rolley also spent time in Newark, New Jersey, serving as chief of staff and assistant director of the city’s economic and housing development department before moving on to become president and CEO of Invest Newark, where he managed a multibillion-dollar development pipeline.

He serves on boards for the Stonewall Community Foundation, Black Girls Vote and the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.

But Rolley spent nearly a decade at the start of his career working in various roles for Baltimore under former Mayors Kurt Schmoke, Martin O’Malley and Sheila Dixon. He moved into these roles after receiving his master’s in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Scott sang Rolley’s praises on Friday, noting that while Rolley is bringing years of experience to his role, he most importantly is bringing “a real love for our city.”

“I can’t think of a better person to champion Baltimore’s renaissance, attract domestic and global investments and create opportunities for residents in every neighborhood,” Scott said.

The city has been on a search for the agency’s next leader since February, when Rolley’s predecessor, Colin Tarbert, announced he was stepping down after six years. Today is Tarbert’s last day at the agency.

Tarbert wasn’t sure where he was heading next when he announced his departure. But as of this week, he is moving on to be the new CEO of Jacksonville’s Downtown Investment Authority in Jacksonville, Florida, the Jacksonville Business Journal reported.

Rolley has some major projects to focus on, including the complete redevelopment of Harborplace at the city’s Inner Harbor, Superblock in West Baltimore and working with other leaders to secure funding for the region as part of the federal Tech Hubs program.

“Baltimore has always been home to me, even when my career took me across the country,” Rolley said. “I’m honored to bring home lessons learned from my work to advance economic mobility nationwide.”