Ira Thompson II
Chief Financial Officer
Ira L. Thompson II serves as Chief Financial Officer for Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC), providing strategic leadership for the organization’s financial operations, budgeting, compliance, financial reporting, and long-term fiscal stewardship in support of DESC’s mission to create pathways to employment and economic opportunity for Detroit residents.
With more than 20 years of executive finance leadership spanning nonprofit, public sector, and private organizations throughout Michigan, Ira has built a reputation for transforming finance organizations into strategic business partners. He has successfully led complex financial operations, modernized financial systems, strengthened governance and internal controls, and developed high-performing finance teams while overseeing multimillion-dollar budgets and diverse funding sources.
He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Western Michigan University, pursued graduate studies at Central Michigan University and Liberty University with a focus on Organizational Leadership, and holds the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM), and Defense Acquisition certifications.
A native Michigander, Ira is committed to strengthening DESC’s financial foundation, fostering innovation, and ensuring the resources necessary to expand opportunity for Detroit’s workforce, employers, and communities.