A Moment in the Street… March 16, 2023 - In Tempe, we are gearing up for our biggest event of the year, an art festival that has been taking place twice a year since the mid 1960’s. To give…
Safety Downtown March 2, 2023 - I fear the media noise surrounding crime and public safety in urban centers will only increase in the weeks and months ahead, especially as it becomes a cornerstone of local and…
Spreading the LOVE … February 16, 2023 - Valentine’s Day was always one of those holidays that made me cringe; dare I say, I hated it growing up. My repulsion was present regardless of whether I was dating…
Universal Support & Collective Thinking February 2, 2023 - Last month, the US Conference of Mayors invited IDA to speak about the return to office and conversion of underutilized buildings to mixed-use and housing – key topics in our…
What Does Opportunity Look Like? January 26, 2023 - In Arizona, we have some amazing winter days where the morning air is crisp, but the afternoon sun is glorious. In early February 2014, I witnessed one of those days.…
Finding Balance in 2023 January 18, 2023 - Wow, talk about hitting the ground running – it has been a sprint! If you are like me, the pace of life, work, and various issues affecting our cities has…
A Look Back at a Monumental Year for IDA January 5, 2023 - 1000+ place management professionals united in Vancouver for perhaps the most comprehensive and diverse IDA Annual Conference & Marketplace ever. It was incredible, but it was not the only outstanding…
It’s a Great Time to be an Advocate for Downtowns December 28, 2022 - With the holidays upon us, politics may be the furthest thing from our minds. But there’s an old saying: Just because you don’t take an interest in politics doesn't mean…
Bold Places Just Might Require Getting Comfortable with Others’ Discomfort December 20, 2022 - The racial equity reckoning in our communities over the past few years demanded that urban place management organizations (UPMOs) be more deliberate in our equity progress as organizations. We were…
A Gift with Immeasurable ROI December 15, 2022 - In 2012, I was with the Downtown Fresno Partnership, and we were looking to try a new fundraising effort to raise money for a seasonal ice skating rink. The fundraising…