Next week, Kate Borders will be officially introduced as the president/CEO of PBID Partners of Downtown Fresno, the recently-formed improvement/advocacy/marketing organization for downtown businesses. But Borders is already on the job, and has been brainstorming new identities for downtown, according to this George Hostetter post.
What's interesting about Borders is that she's not even close to being from Fresno. She's an outside hire, coming to us from Milwaukee, where she was the executive director of the East Town Association. It's a similar organization in Brew City -- a city which, by the way, has a long list of annual festivals.
You want to know a little bit more about her? Of course you do. Here's what a Milwaukee blogger wrote about her upon news of leaving her post there:
Borders has run East Town for the past seven years, growing its signature events like Jazz in the Park, the East Town Farm Market, Bastille Days, last weekend's Firkin Festival and others. She's been a champion of several major Downtown issues and has helped spearhead a remodel of two signature Downtown parks.
Personally, Kate's a friend and simply a wonderful person
In a letter she wrote to announce her decision to leave Milwaukee, Borders wrote:
The pros for accepting this challenge are that personally I will be moving my family to within 2 1/2 hours of both of my sisters and it is priceless for me to imagine my daughters growing up with their aunts a short drive away. Additionally, the timing is good personally and professionally as we are nearing the end of our intense event season and my oldest daughter is still a year away from school age. I am also thrilled to have the opportunity to start a BID from scratch. This is a once in a lifetime chance to build a BID from the ground up. Fresno is a city on the verge of growth. It is being led by a new energetic administration and was recently named one of Obama's six focus cities in the federal program dubbed Strong Cities, Strong Communities. It will definitely be a challenging endeavor, but I am excited to be part of the transition team.
Apparently, she's working the phones and has already made herself quite familiar with the Fulton Mall. From George Hostetter's blog post:
Borders on Tuesday afternoon was busy answering phones in PBID Partners' office at the south end of Fulton Mall. She said her first task is to make a to-do list for the next three months. At the top is coming up with a new brand, a marketable identity, for downtown. She also wants to hire a group of so-called Ambassadors - friendly folks on foot who would meet and greet visitors to Fresno.
There's a lot riding on Borders' performance. The creation of PBID Partners of Downtown Fresno was bitterly fought by some of the business owners who must pay its bills. And Mayor Ashley Swearengin views PBID Partners of Downtown Fresno as a pivotal ally in her downtown revitalization plans.Borders seems to have the necessary intensity. She said she's been up and down the half-mile-long Fulton Mall more times than she can count, scouting the future.
"I've got the blisters to prove it," Borders said.
Welcome, Kate. I'm sure I speak for many downtown supporters and potential-seers when I say I'm excited to see the new energy and ideas you bring to downtown Fresno.
It seems like she has the attitude needed to make an impact, but it is much harder to walk the walk than talk the talk. I've seen little improve on the Fulton Mall in the last 20 years despite the money and ideas that the city and taxpayers have heaped upon it.
She's got the experience and the drive. Who's paying for this, tho? Isn't Craig Scharton the well-paid downtown guru?
And what about the most important question? Is she single??? Yummy photo.
The PBID is its own organization of downtown businesses.
More on it, and its board of the directors and all that:
http://downtownfresno.org/pbid.html
As Malcolm noted, it's hard to get too excited about potentially good downtown news, but this is definitely a positive step, and I wish Borders the best in her new position. I hope she does better here than she did with the bookstore.
Such negativity already. Remember, this is FresYES!! Welcome, Kate. We welcome you with open hearts, minds and business!
**Monica
Her background sounds like she'd make the perfect fit and an outside perspective is always good. I'm excited to see what she brings.
i hope she has a quick learning curve and is able to dive right in and help to improve our city.
Welcome, Mrs. Borders! Thanks for helping our community. Looking forward to seeing your ideas for downtown.
I wish all the success to this new initiative...but in my opinion: don't get all hung up on the Fulton "MALL" as it is today...if it were up to me I'd say dig it up and make it the main street through downtown that it originally was.
Also, does this mean Scharton is still getting paid 6 figures? I thought this was his responsibility. Apparently he needs more help than he thought.
This position has always existed in addition to Craig Scharton's job in the city's revitalization department. It's two different organizations. Borders' job is heading up what used to the Downtown Association. But when it changed into a PBID, it adopted a board of directors and hired a CEO. So basically same job, just kinda fancier.
I'm glad it's not up to you.
I'm a supporter of Downtown. I wish Kate luck :)!!
One thing's for sure, PBID Partners of Downtown Fresno needs to immediately implement a name change. I hope Kate can get some traction on that.
If your name is so long that no one can remember it, and it includes an acronym that no one knows what it stands for, and to top it off it's not at all catchy.... THEN CHANGE YOUR NAME.
Why not just keep "Downtown Association???"
Great to have you on board, Kate.
I am optimistically hopeful after reading of her accomplishments.
She'll either make us, or will we break her? I am hoping for the former.