The Minneapolis Downtown Council and the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District have named their next president and CEO.

Adam Duininck is taking the reins this fall from longtime President and CEO Steve Cramer, who has helmed the Downtown Council for a decade and retires at the beginning of December.

“I am thrilled to become the president and CEO of the Mpls Downtown Council-Downtown Improvement District at such a pivotal time for downtown Minneapolis and the region,” Duininck said in a statement. “I look forward to building on the strong foundation that has been achieved through Steve Cramer’s leadership.”

Duininck currently serves as government affairs director for the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters. He’s also a former Metropolitan Council chair.

An announcement from the Downtown Council says “Duininck brings a wealth of experience, a passion for urban development, and a commitment to enhancing the vibrancy and vitality of Minneapolis' downtown district.”

The Minneapolis Downtown Council is a nearly 70-year-old membership-based business association dedicated to making downtown a more inviting place for residents, workers and visitors alike. Similarly, the Downtown Improvement District is an affiliated nonprofit whose mission is to make downtown Minneapolis safer, cleaner and greener.

Together, their coverage area spans 120 blocks of the central business district, East Town and Loring Park neighborhoods and a sliver of Northeast around St. Anthony Main, much like ours at Downtown Voices.

Cramer called Duininck “an experienced, proven leader in our community” in a statement. He also said his successor “will be an important voice and actor as downtown advances into the future.”

No doubt, Duininck will play a critical role in getting more people to spend time in downtown Minneapolis, no matter the reason.

Occupancy in downtown’s largest office buildings is roughly 65%, according to the Downtown Council’s latest estimate.

Many of the biggest employers require their workers to be in their downtown offices at least two days a week, but Target (No. 1) and Hennepin County (No. 3) still haven’t enforced companywide mandates.