Casey Woods is chosen as new director for Emporia Main Street
By Bobbi Mlynar
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Emporia Main Street’s new executive director will begin work on March 30, knowing he faces a busy month ahead.
Casey Woods, who was hired for the job on Wednesday, will put the finishing touches on upcoming major events, “The Taste” and the “Artists’ Walk,” already scheduled in April.
“But my first thing we’ll need to do is do introductions of all the different businesses downtown and see where they’re at in this economy,” Woods said in an interview Wednesday afternoon.
Woods replaces Kayla Oney, who left March 6 to become director for marketing and events for the Colombian Theatre in Wamego.
Woods has been general manager of Madelynn’s store for 11 years and is completing projects already under way there before beginning the Main Street job.
“I’m a strong believer in sustained development,” Woods said. That means retaining existing businesses and building on them by connecting business owners and entrepreneurs with help available at state and local levels. Loans, training, mentoring, and other types of help are available.
“I want to make people aware of what we have to offer and be a sounding board for people who have different needs and try to get those filled,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of exciting things on the horizon for downtown.”
As manager of Madelynn’s, which was a Main Street member even when it was located on Industrial Road, he also is aware of the importance of connecting businesses beyond the immediate downtown area.
Downtown increasingly is becoming a draw for townspeople and area residents.
“It’s gorgeous right now and it’s great,” he said. “You see people walking downtown during the day or during the evening.”
Woods is interested in continuing development of a proposed historic downtown district that would be attractive for bringing in outside development or enabling current owners to grow with federal and state tax credits.
Woods has enjoyed seeing the downtown blossom, and seeing the reactions from customers outside the area who come to Madelynn’s for dresses, accessories and gifts for weddings.
“I’m in a unique position because I deal with so many people from out of town,” he said. “It’s wonderful to see through other people’s eyes when they come to downtown Emporia, how impressed they are when they come to town.”
Woods’ experience with Main Street includes many years on the group’s board of directors and close involvement in leadership roles with the organization.
“He’s also been an integral part of the business enhancement committee and he also is a board member of the Kansas Downtown Development Association,” said Deborah Huth, president of the Main Street board of directors.
Woods has a degree in agriculture business from Fort Hays State University.
He emerged at the top of the applicant list after the group’s executive board interviewed five candidates and narrowed the field to three for final interviews by the complete board, Huth said.
“We actually had three scheduled and one applicant pulled out the day before the final interview,” she said.
Huth was pleased with the quality of the applicants.
“I thought we had a very good pool to choose from,” she said. “We had local, we had statewide, we had national interest in this particular instance. It was difficult to narrow it down. It really was.”
mermel (anonymous) says...
How will Casey have time to do his new Mainstreet job AND follow customers around the store of Madelynn's??? Hmmm...maybe I'll make it in since he has much more on his plate now! What a joke!
March 20, 2009 at 10:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )