Wayne State University law student Brandon Fournier, 28, was named recently to Crain's "20 in their 20s" list of young movers and shakers in the metropolitan area.

Fournier was appointed in December, 2009, to the post of city administrator for the city of Southgate by Mayor Joseph Kuspa. The mayor knew Fournier through his work as an account manager with a Comerica Bank branch where Kuspa, owner of a Detroit business, had a commercial account. He was impressed with the young man's work.

Since then, Fournier has racked up some significant accomplishments, including $4 million in city budget cuts due to decreasing revenues, a restructuring of city workers, and, in some cases, a combining of services with other communities to save money without jeopardizing city services.

"I currently supervise a budget of over $20 million and an organizations of over 120 (full-time employees)," Fournier said. "It is an honor to be recognized. The work we are doing in Southgate is very important, proving that working together will result in real sustainable change."

Attending law school at night on top of his challenging job requires "a great deal of discipline and commitment," he said.

"However, there is no question that the two goals have worked in concert with each other. My job requires that I be familiar with many legal instruments, (including) contracts, local laws and state statutes. It has been a priceless tool to be able to leverage the knowledge that I have obtained at Wayne State. The evening program at Wayne has given me a chance to continue my education without having to sacrifice my career, and I am very thankful for that opportunity. Also, I have the pleasure of meeting some wonderful people, from staff members and professors to fellow students."