JLL Pittsburgh continues to expand with key hire of economic development expert

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 27, 2022 – JLL, a global commercial real estate and investment management firm with more than 550 employees in its Pittsburgh office, has announced the hire of Dennis Davin as senior vice president with a focus on corporate and development advisory services. Davin comes to JLL with more than 30+ years of experience in economic development.

Prior to joining JLL, Davin served as Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) from January 2015, appointed by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. In this role, Davin led strategic efforts to support community and economic development, serving the 12.8 million citizens in the state of Pennsylvania and overseeing DCED’s $1.6 billion investment in projects to strengthen the workforce and stimulate new business.

Davin’s many business growth efforts include attracting businesses from a variety of industries to the state, which helped Pennsylvania become recognized as having the nation’s most diverse economy. He also led the implementation of numerous economic development initiatives, including PA Business One Stop Shop and the Manufacturing PA initiative.

“Dennis is a proven leader with long-term commitment to the region and Commonwealth,” said Market Director JC Pelusi. “The Greater Pittsburgh region has been, and continues to be, a hotspot for thriving industries like banking, healthcare, robotics, life science and more. Having Dennis’ expertise brings a fresh perspective and new dimension to our clients seeking an edge in such a competitive marketplace.”

After having met with more than 1,000 domestic and international businesses during his tenure at DCED, Davin holds intricate knowledge of a variety of industries, and the opportunities and challenges faced by businesses over the last several years. Davin’s role at JLL will focus on supporting high-growth sectors, including higher education, life sciences, artificial intelligence and robotics, advanced manufacturing, healthcare and more.

“Pittsburgh is positioned well for tremendous growth across complex industries like tech, healthcare, and more, and JLL has continued to grow as a leader in spaces alike,” said Davin. “Having spent the last several years identifying opportunities to strengthen business and community development, I’m excited to continue these efforts with JLL’s market-leading platform to ultimately drive business throughout the region.”

Davin served as Chairman of the Board for the Commonwealth Financing Authority, Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority, Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority, and the Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority. In addition, Davin previously served as Director of the Allegheny County Economic Development and the Director of the Allegheny County Redevelopment Authority as well as other Allegheny County authorities. He received his bachelor’s degree in finance from West Virginia University.

For more information, please visit jll.com/Pittsburgh.