DEARBORN HEIGHTS — The outlines of Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun’s new administration have taken full shape after all executive positions in city government were filled with local professionals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, in a vision aimed at improving institutional performance and enhancing the quality of services provided to residents.

In an exclusive interview with The Arab American News, Baydoun said all appointments were finalized with the assistance of an advisory team he established to help lead the city’s “transformation.” The seven-member advisory group is chaired by David Knezek, Dearborn Heights’ representative on the Wayne County Commission.

The mayor confirmed that all required appointments have been completed, and there are currently no vacancies or new appointments being planned — including department heads who will remain in their posts, such as Fire Chief David Brogan.

Baydoun emphasized that the selection process was based on clear criteria, led by competence, professional experience and the ability to carry responsibility — alongside a commitment to public service and strengthening residents’ trust in local government.

He noted that members of the advisory council — which includes Hassan Bazzi, Elisabeth Saboora Perry, Tracy Baker, Marwan Salamey, Raed Murad and John Riley, reviewed the professional backgrounds and qualifications of all candidates in order to select those most suitable for the demands of what he called “the new phase.”

Baydoun, who is expected to take the oath of office during an official inauguration ceremony on January 17, said the next stage will focus on strengthening administrative stability, activating the work of municipal departments and committees, and enhancing communication with residents and the media — ensuring transparency and improving public services.

In last November’s election, Dearborn Heights voters supported keeping Baydoun as mayor by a margin exceeding 68 percent. He’d assumed the position on an interim basis — he’d previously been City Council president — when former Mayor Bill Bazzi resigned to take the post of U.S. ambassador to Tunisia.

Baydoun’s key appointments

Baydoun’s new appointments include:

• Michael R. Guzowski, chief of police

• Amad Elzayat, director of emergency management

• Hussein K. Saad, chief of staff

• Mahdi I. Baydoun, chief financial officer

• Hussein M. Dabajeh, director of community and economic development

• Mohamed Qasim, director of communications

• Usef I. Nasrallah, director of ordinances and animal control

• Nicole Hefty, grants manager

Meanwhile, Baydoun retained several department heads from the previous administration, including:

• Fire Chief David Brogan

• Eric B. Watland, director of the Building Department

• David R. Cooper, director of innovation and technology

• Kimberly Comer, property assessment director

• Michael P. McCaffery, library director

• Martin Zbosnik, Parks and Recreation director

• Gary T. Miotke, city attorney / Legal Department director

• John A. Danci, director of the Department of Public Works

Guzowski replaces Haidar Ahmed as police chief

Baydoun announced the appointment of Michael R. Guzowski, a police captain of Polish descent, as Dearborn Heights’ new chief of police after 22 years of service in the department. Guzowski succeeds Haidar Ahmed, who took over the department late in former Mayor Bazzi’s term after years of leadership turnover.

In the appointment statement, Baydoun said Guzowski has “an impressive record of achievements” during his career with the Dearborn Heights Police Department. He expressed confidence that Guzowski’s skills and experience — along with his positive outlook and commitment to community service — will make him an effective and respected leader.

Guzowski brings extensive experience in multiple law enforcement roles in Dearborn Heights, including patrol operations, special operations and drug enforcement in coordination with federal authorities. He served as a detective sergeant in 2017 and was promoted to lieutenant in 2019 to lead the Investigations Bureau. He was promoted in October to captain and appointed head of the department’s investigative services division.

“I am grateful to the city for this opportunity,” Guzowski said of his appointment. “It is an honor to serve the department I have been part of throughout my career, and I look forward to continuing in this role for many years to come.”

He described Mayor Baydoun’s “energy and enthusiasm” as “truly encouraging and inspiring.”

Guzowski holds an associate degree in criminal justice and has extensive administrative and leadership experience, including policy development, training, operations management and community engagement.

Michael R. Guzowski, police chief

Guzowski told The Arab American News that one of his proudest achievements was launching and leading Dearborn Heights’ School Resource Officer program, which began with two officers and has expanded this year to five officers serving multiple school districts in the city.

“I have two main visions and goals,” Guzowski said regarding the future of the department: “To create stability in the department by using my practical experience in policing and the community, and to elevate the department to 21st century standards with a strong focus on community outreach and engagement.”

He added that stability requires establishing, reviewing and updating policies and procedures, along with accountability for performance.

Guzowski emphasized that community outreach is not simply attending events — “it is a philosophy” — and stressed the importance of a customer-service mindset.

“We provide a service to the community.”

He said he raised his children in Dearborn Heights and values the city deeply, expressing a desire to give back to the community.

Dabajeh to lead Community and Economic Development Department

Baydoun also selected Hussein M. Dabajeh to lead the city’s Community and Economic Development Department, overseeing economic strategy, business engagement and community development initiatives.

Dabajeh told The Arab American News he is proud to serve under Baydoun’s leadership, explaining that the city’s economic strategy will focus on supporting small businesses, reducing administrative barriers and improving coordination across departments.

Hussein M. Dabajeh will lead the city’s Community and Economic Development Department.

He said the aim is to grow the local economy without burdening residents with higher taxes. Filling vacant properties, attracting investment and investing in public spaces will boost revenue, strengthen services and improve quality of life, he said.

Dabajeh has experience in both the private sector and Wayne County government. He previously served as legislative director for the Wayne County Commission, managing legislative operations and helping oversee the county budget, while working with officials and community groups across the county.

Outside government, Dabajeh founded and helped grow several companies in Metro Detroit. He founded The House Consulting, which works with political campaigns, nonprofits and local governments, and has been involved with Edison Cabinets, specializing in residential and commercial cabinetry.

Dabajeh studied public affairs at Wayne State University and remains active in civic and regional initiatives across Metro Detroit, with a focus on strengthening public-private partnerships.

Elzayat to lead Emergency Management and Qasim is director of Communications

Amad Elzayat, director of Emergency Management

Amad Elzayat, appointed director of Emergency Management and community outreach liaison, said joining Baydoun’s administration will allow him to serve residents more directly during floods, power outages and other emergency situations, while acting as a bridge between the mayor’s office and city departments.

He said his focus will include field work, trust-building, public safety and supporting economic growth through grants and projects that can create new job opportunities in the city. Elzayat brings more than 28 years of experience as a paramedic, along with 12 years of nonprofit charitable work.

In another appointment reflecting Dearborn Heights’ growing demographic diversity, Baydoun selected Iraqi American Mohamed Qasim, 28, to lead the newly created Communications Department — making him the first high-ranking city official of Iraqi descent in Dearborn Heights’ history.

Mohamed Qasim, Director of Communications

Qasim said the department was created through a proposal introduced by the mayor and approved by the City Council during its Dec. 9 meeting, to ensure communication between city government and residents is clear, accurate and timely.

He previously worked nearly four years in Dearborn’s Communications Department and later founded a private marketing and communications firm through which he managed more than 20 social, political and charitable campaigns across the region.