Fourteen individuals applied for the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) open position for Executive Director. Unfortunately, none of them satisfy the fundamental qualifications for the position.

The Position Summary states that:

"The ideal candidate will have prior experience working in a downtown development organization in a comparable size municipality. Additionally, experience with commercial real estate and development, planning and zoning, and coordinating events is beneficial."

The posted Job Description and Responsibilities provides, in part, that:

"The Executive Director is the face and voice of the DDA/DSDC and shall direct the day-to-day operations of the organization. These operations include administrative staff, and the Streetscape and Shreve Park divisions.”

The Executive Director is responsible for budget preparation and oversight, work plan development and implementation, maintaining and fostering positive relationships with downtown partners that include but are not limited to businesses, property owners, developers, public and elected officials, the media, and general public."

The job posting includes "Ideal Candidate Qualifications" and the first three are:

- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field; MBA or other advanced degree preferred

- Minimum 5 years of executive management, business, or leadership experience

- Experience in downtown management profession preferred

The Executive Director oversees a budget of approximately $1.6 million and fourteen employees.

A future column will list the members of the selection committee and the selection process along with a summary of the qualifications of each applicant. Here is a listing with current occupation of the fourteen who applied for the position.