Business Leaders for Michigan has hired former ePrize executive Matthew Clayson as director of the Detroit Creative Corridor Center, effective Feb. 1.

Clayson previously served as promotion manager for Pleasant Ridge-based ePrize's legal department, counseling Fortune 500 clients on legal and strategic issues related to global interactive initiatives, new and social media, interactive marketing and interactive communications.

Prior to that, he was project manager for the Tourism Economic Development Council helping to create and manage initiatives to strengthen Detroit's image for Super Bowl XL.

Business Leaders for Michigan is launching the center with a $200,000 grant announced last week from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The Detroit Creative Corridor Center will serve as a hub to connect creative businesses with assistance in starting a business, approaching existing businesses for sales or partnership opportunities, improving marketing and sales strategies and connecting with potential investors. The center also is meant to provide professional networking opportunities.

Business Leaders for Michigan is working with the College for Creative Studies to manage the initiative.

Clayson, who will report to a board of directors that will include members from Business Leaders for Michigan and the College for Creative Studies, has several immediate responsibilities:

• Developing relationships with key creative stakeholders.

• Working with existing business accelerators, universities and others to develop a menu of business programs and services that are available to creative industries.

• Establishing a series of partnerships with creative sector organizations.

• Creating a network of creative business mentors.

• Organizing creative events and networking activities.

• And promoting and marketing Detroit's creative community.

“While I am realistic about the nature of economic and social issues confronting the city, region and state, I am excited to leverage our collective assets to grow this increasingly important and relevant sector of the economy," Clayson said in a release.

The creative corridor work is the last initiative to be implemented under the three-to-five-year economic development plan developed by Business Leaders for Michigan's predecessor organization, Detroit Renaissance Inc., to capitalize on the region's strengths and challenges.

Detroit Renaissance introduced “Road to Renaissance” in 2006.

The plan included six goals the region could realize by building on its strengths and redirecting resources. Those are becoming the global center for mobility, becoming a global logistics hub, expanding entrepreneurial capacity, securing a strong talent base, promoting the region globally while communicating locally, and expanding the creative community.