Rodney C. Nanney is a lifelong citizen of Michigan and a longtime resident of Ypsilanti. He grew up on Sunset Street in Plymouth and graduated from Plymouth-Canton High School in 1984. He is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University, with a Master’s degree in geography and urban and regional planning and a Bachelor’s degree in earth science and historic preservation.

Rodney is the owner of Building Place Consultants, and is an innovative provider of solutions to community planning and local economic development challenges. He also writes for and serves as editor of the Building Place Notebook, an online journal covering community planning, zoning, and economic development, and is an experienced public speaker.

Throughout his professional career, Rodney has worked closely with local elected officials of all political persuasions, and has had frequent contact with a variety of state agencies and offices.

In recent years, Rodney has worked with Lodi, York, Saline, and Superior townships in Washtenaw County. Rodney is currently guiding an update of Superior Charter Township's growth management plan to include a focused economic development strategy designed to attract and grow new technology, research, and medical employers to the area.

New to campaigning for state office, Rodney has campaigned for others, including current Ypsilanti city councilman and mayoral candidate Pete Murdock. He also successfully campaigned against the Ypsilanti city income tax proposal in 2007, and helped to defeat the Washtenaw Intermediate School District’s special millage proposal last year. Rodney and his wife Nanci have also served as volunteers or on boards for several community organizations, including the Ypsilanti Youth Theater and New Year’s Jubilee.

None of his successes would have been possible without a strong foundation in family and faith. Rodney counts as his most enduring achievement his marriage to his wife Nanci. The entire family is active in their local church, where he serves in a leadership role. He and Nanci homeschooled their children, and both Nathan and Elana are enrolled in the Early College Alliance program through Eastern Michigan University and Ypsilanti Public Schools.

With his wide range of education and life experience, and his strong foundation in family and faith, Rodney C. Nanney has the right skills to effectively serve the people of the 54th District in the Michigan legislature.