Peaslee to lead downtown group
By CASSIE SMITH
Cindy Peaslee first visited downtown Bryan 10 years ago.
Since then, the area has seen a number of changes, and Peaslee has fallen in love with it.
"It's not even the same animal anymore," the Bryan resident said. "It's completely different."
Peaslee was named executive director of the Downtown Bryan Economic Development Association on Wednesday. She will start her new position Oct. 13.
She succeeds John Hendry, who has served as executive director for the past five years. Peaslee has worked with Hendry for four of those years and says he has earned her respect.
"We knew we had big shoes to fill when he left," she said.
Hendry said he had no definite plans for life after his current job but was excited to have Peaslee take over.
"She's a creative individual with a good overall vision for historic downtown as a multi-faceted historic business district," he said.
Hendry said Peaslee had the right perspective to help the area's revitalization succeed.
Peaslee has more than 20 years of experience in hospitality and tourism sales and marketing, most recently with the Bryan-College Station Convention and Visitors Bureau.
She has served as the development association's chairwoman and vice chairwoman and as special events chairwoman. She was also the recipient of the 2007 Downtown Impact Award.
About 40 applicants were reviewed for the position in the search that began in mid-August, said Jesse Saginor, secretary of the association, who headed the search committee.
A few of the applicants were local residents, Saginor said, but none had the relationships that Peaslee has with community members.
The board is still negotiating Peaslee's salary, he said.
Saginor said Peaslee's priorities would be increasing the group's membership and promoting the city's major attraction -- downtown.
"We're looking for somebody who can take the momentum that downtown has ... and run with the organization right now," he said. "It's important right now -- downtown is at a critical point in its redevelopment -- to maintain that current momentum."
Peaslee said her goals included improving the agency's Web site, fostering relations with downtown merchants and property owners and working to improve the northern part of downtown.
"I'm going to have to jump into it running," she said. "I'm definitely looking forward to it."
RSS
Mobile
Daily Emails
We Twitter
