Category: Urban

Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District

The Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District (BID) is a public organization primarily funded by private commercial taxpayers. The BID’s mission is to actively plan, manage and promote Cherry Creek North as a premier destination for shopping, dining, living, working and visiting.

The BID was established in 1989 as the first business improvement district in the state of Colorado. Three miles from downtown Denver, the BID’s boundaries extend 16-blocks from 1st Avenue to 3rd Avenue, and from University Boulevard to Steele Street.

The BID ensures that Cherry Creek North is a premier destination through day-to-day maintenance and operations, annual local and tourism marketing and advertising, constituent outreach, signature events including holidays, and other initiatives.

Nick LeMasters

HRS recruited Nick LeMasters to serve as the President & CEO. Nick was a highly respected and recognized leader in the Denver community. While not a traditional Downtown professional, Nick brings a deep retail background combined with a passionate customer focus and strong leadership presence to the Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District.

CENTRO San Antonio

San Antonio is the seventh largest city in the United States and is 64% Hispanic. It is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, known as Military City USA, home to the country’s largest MLK Day march, and one of the most recognized destination cities in the US – 31MM visitors annually. San Antonio is a tech, energy and financial business center, and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the Alamo and six Spanish Missions.

Matt Brown

HRS recruited Matt Brown to serve as the President and CEO of CENTRO, the Placemakers of Downtown San Antonio. Guided by Matt’s leadership, CENTRO works every day to create a more beautiful, playful and welcoming downtown. CENTRO does this via three non-profits, a Partnership, Member based Alliance, and Public Improvement District encompassing many of the City’s most important cultural assets such as the Riverwalk, Tobin Center, Market Square, La Villita, Main Plaza, San Pedro Creek, four historic theaters like the Majestic and Alameda.

Matt brings an innovative sprit and pragmatic get-it-done approach from his background as a lawyer, entrepreneur, C-level executive and, most recently, the Economic Development Director of Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a non-traditional urban development professional and brings incredible systems thinking and creative problem-solving skills, combined with a record of practical results to San Antonio.

Downtown Cleveland Alliance

The Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA) strives to make Downtown Cleveland the most compelling place to live, work and play. To create a vibrant city center by enhancing the pedestrian experience and attracting more investment into Downtown Cleveland through strategic initiatives and advocacy efforts.

Joe Marinucci

HRS recruited Joe Marinucci as the President & CEO in 2006 to lead a newly created collaboration of downtown organizations designed to focus critical resources and maximize their impact on the future of downtown Cleveland.

Since 2006, Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA) has evolved from a special improvement district (SID) focused on the Clean & Safe Program, to an organization engaged in various aspects of Downtown Cleveland from business attraction and retention and retail development, to marketing and special events. Setting specific priorities for the organization, has helped DCA experience tremendous progress and earn a reputation as one of most exciting downtown experiences in America. Joe served on the board of the International Economic Development Council where he served as Chairman.

Downtown Indy

Indianapolis is one of the 20 largest cities in the U.S. and a world-class destination known for spectacular monuments that rival our Nation’s capital. Downtown Indy, Inc. addresses critical issues that affect the growth, well-being and user-friendliness of Downtown Indianapolis. The Downtown team manages, activates and markets Downtown to make it a better place to work, live, learn and play.

Sherry Seiwert

HRS recruited Sherry Seiwert, a local community development professional, to succeed the founding CEO of IDI, now known as Downtown Indy, Inc.

Since Sherry’s hire as the President & CEO in 2012, Indianapolis was selected as one of the “Top 20” finalists in Amazon’s HQ2 nationwide competition. Downtown Indy’s exciting and dynamic vibe contributed to Amazon’s interest in the region. Sherry has served as a board member of the International Downtown Association as well as the Economic Club of Indiana, the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership, and the Federal Home Loan Bank Advisory Committee.

Downtown Memphis Commission

Memphis is one of the 30 largest cities in the United States and one of the top 10 U.S. cities in terms of minority-majority populations. Established in 1977, the Downtown Memphis Commission (DMC) drives Downtown’s role as the economic, cultural, and governmental core of the city and county. The DMC is the official partnership between local government and the private business community. The Downtown Memphis Commission includes Five Affiliate Boards: Downtown Memphis Commission, Center City Development Corporation, Center City Revenue Finance Corporation, Downtown Parking Authority, and the Design Review Board. The DMC’s annual budget exceeds $12M per year.

Jennifer Oswalt

HRS recruited Jennifer Oswalt in 2017 to serve as the President & CEO of the Downtown Memphis Commission. Jennifer was not a traditional downtown leader but came to the DMC as an accomplished financial executive. She was also an internal candidate and previously served as the CFO for the DMC.

Over $5 billion in public and private development projects have been planned, initiated, or completed in recent years. Jennifer assumed the mantel of leadership after the previous CEO resigned. She quickly restored the organization’s credibility and continued to champion the organization’s aggressive development agenda.

Downtown Tucson Partnership

The Downtown Tucson Partnership is a nonprofit, 501 (c)(6) corporation created in 1998 to implement enhanced municipal services for the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID). As the primary advocate for Downtown Tucson, their top priority is to provide core services through the Enhanced Services Agreement (ESA) with the City of Tucson. Those services include maintenance and cleaning, security, marketing and promotions, advocacy and relationship building, and economic development.

The Downtown Tucson Partnership (DTP) serves as a catalyst for making Downtown Tucson the place people want to live, work, and play; where new ideas happen; and that is the economic development and cultural epicenter of the region.

Kathleen Erikson

HRS recruited Kathleen Eriksen from Michigan to serve as the President & CEO in 2016. Since joining DTP, the downtown has experienced a continuing building boom including new hotels, office space, and mixed-use housing. Kathleen played a leadership role in developing and implementing the DTP Connects homeless outreach program in downtown Tucson; decreasing the homeless rate by 96% in the first 3 months of the program.

Kathleen’s work with downtown development, building restoration and social change issues has garnered international attention and numerous awards including the Pinnacle Award in Leadership and Management by the International Downtown Association, the Merit Award by the American Institute of Architects, the Building Award by the Michigan Historic Preservation Society and a feature segment on HGTV’s Restore America series.

Kathleen is an internationally recognized urban / downtown leader and is currently serving as a board member of the international Downtown Association.

Tulsa Downtown Coordinating Council

The Tulsa Downtown Coordinating Council is an advisory board comprised of downtown property owners, civic leaders, and business owners that provides oversight of maintenance and service obligations of the Tulsa Stadium Improvement District. The DCC works to bring a thriving, vibrant, and inclusive Downtown Tulsa to life through beautification, cleaning, place enhancement, and public safety services.

Brian Kurtz

HRS recruited Brian Kurtz to serve as the Executive Director of the DCC. Currently a mayoral appointee, Brian is actively planning the DCC’s transition from a City of Tulsa authority into a public-private partnership established outside of city government. Prior to Tulsa, Brian was involved in downtown development in Pittsburgh, PA.

Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Association

Yonge is the heart of Toronto’s world-class downtown experience and is considered Canada’s iconic main street and compares to Times Square, the Chicago Loop, and Piccadilly in London. The Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Association creates and advocates for vibrant area events, provides on-street clean and safe services, produces capital improvement streetscape projects, and has implemented numerous safe & inclusive, music and laneway strategies which are promoted through branding and marketing initiatives.

Mark Garner

HRS recruited an experienced Canadian downtown leader, Mark Garner, to serve as the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director.

Since joining the organization in 2013, Mark’s leadership has helped increased property values, foot traffic, and capital investment while providing enhanced clean, safe, and inclusive neighborhoods. Mark has also emerged as an industry leader as a member of the board of the International Downtown Association (IDA), among other boards in Toronto and across Canada.

East Liberty Development Inc.

East Liberty Development Inc. (ELDI) supports the East Liberty community, Pittsburgh’s liveliest neighborhood, through planning, advocacy, facilitation and investment. ELDI is a community development corporation (CDC) that has transformed one of Pittsburgh’s oldest neighborhoods in to one of the most vibrant and growing communities in the region.

Maelene Myers

HRS recruited Maelene Myers from Cleveland to serve as the Executive Director of ELDI in 1996. At the time, the organization was in turmoil as two previous directors had resigned within a year. The community was considered distressed and its future was uncertain. Maelene spent over two years listening to community residents and developing the East Liberty Community Plan. The Community Plan clearly articulated that concentrations of poverty were not healthy and that the existing residents wanted to live in a mixed income and diverse community. This Community Plan has driven and shaped all of ELDI’s development plans and efforts to revitalize the neighborhood.

“Fast forward,” today East Liberty is a diverse neighbood and one of the most sought after communities in which to shop, live work and play in Pittsburgh. The community has witnessed a resurgence in shopping and employment opportunities with over 800 new affordable housing units for both families and individuals coupled with improved access to transportation. For her tireless efforts on behalf of the community, and the energy, vibrancy, and hope that Maelene has brought to East Liberty for over two decades, she was the recipient of the 2019 Peal of Hope presented by Sojurner House.

Erie Innovation District

The Erie Innovation District was created to augment over $500 million in capital investment in the city’s core to support the retention, expansion, and attraction of businesses involved in safety and security in the high-demand fields of intelligence, data science, and cybersecurity.

Karl Sanchak

HRS recruited Karl Sanchack, an executive noted for innovative approaches and proven experience working with new ventures in urban environments.

Since Karl joined the organization as the President & CEO, external investment has increased along with national collaborations with a Silicon Valley think tank, a Massachusetts-based information security firm and a national technology company in Cleveland.