The University has named an executive director of neighborhood and community relations who will be the primary liaison between Evanston and Northwestern.

Alan Anderson (McCormick ‘99, Kellogg ‘04) will oversee the town-gown relationship and advise administrators on the partnership, NU announced Wednesday.

Nim Chinniah, the University’s executive vice president, said he’s excited to have Anderson aboard.

“His energy, skills and experiences will be an asset to us in strengthening the relationship between the University and Evanston,” Chinniah said in a news release. “We are fortunate to have one of our own graduates return home to lead our neighborhood and community relations efforts.”

Anderson is currently executive director of Chicago’s branch of Year Up, a group that helps young adults find professional work by providing technical training. Previously, he has held administrative positions at Chicago Public Schools and Motorola.

Anderson said his past experience will help to prepare him for his new job.

“My goal is to work tirelessly in a highly accountable and transparent way with all the key stakeholders, both within Northwestern and the city of Evanston, to strategically design and launch initiatives that create mutual benefits,” he said in the news release. “True partnerships are powerful, and in my new role I will work tirelessly to create them.”

After graduating from the University of Michigan, Anderson earned two master’s degrees from NU in electrical engineering and business administration.

News of Anderson’s hire comes after Lucile Krasnow announced in December she would retire this spring. Krasnow, who has worked at NU for 15 years, served as the University’s first liaison with the city.

Anderson will begin June 1, two days after Dillo Day. The event strained town-gown relations last year, when Evanston residents filed an especially high number of noise complaints.

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Twitter: @Shane_McKeon