The team behind Accelerating Downtown Organizations is Diane Williams and Donna Ann Harris, both nationally known revitalization specialists. We have known each other for more than ten years, having met at Illinois Main Street where we worked together for more than five years. Since then, we have partnered on other downtown projects around the country and are delighted to bring our respective skills to you through Accelerating Downtown Organizations.
Biographies
Donna Ann Harris is the principal of Heritage Consulting Inc., a Philadelphia-based consulting firm that works in three practice areas: downtown revitalization, historic preservation and organizational development. Prior to starting her firm in 2004, she was state coordinator for the Illinois Main Street for two years and the manager of the Illinois suburban Main Street for four years. Prior to her Main Street career, Donna spent 15 years as an executive director of three start-up and two mature preservation organizations, each with its own organizational and fundraising challenges. In the last two years, Donna published a book, New Solutions for House Museums, as well as scholarly articles in Forum Journal, History News and Main Street News on business improvement district feasibility, advocacy and membership development. Donna earned a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University in New York City, and a Master of Governmental Administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Diane Williams joined Business Districts, Inc. in 2003 with a unique combination of public and private sector experience. Diane’s careers in both sectors encompass three decades of experience in understanding markets and their relationship to strategy development, and within the last decade, their significance to commercial district revitalization and preservation economics. During Diane’s first five years with Business Districts, Inc., she also served as the Executive Director of Evmark, the downtown marketing and management organization in Evanston, Illinois. Previously, Diane was the Assistant State Coordinator for Illinois’ statewide Main Street program for five years, where she worked with 56 communities on economic restructuring and design issues. Prior to pursuing graduate studies in historic preservation, Diane Williams was a Vice President at Citibank in Chicago. She has twenty-one years of banking experience, including thirteen as a commercial banker to the small business market. Diane has a Master’s degree in Historic Preservation from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Diane also completed undergraduate business courses at Northwestern University and M. B. A. coursework at DePaul University.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Contact us to learn more
Each of Accelerating Downtown Organizations workshops can be offered alone or in combination, creating excellent value for your annual conference or other training needs. The workshops are are two to three hours long, and so two or three topics can be covered in one day, so you get the best value for your money.
These sessions are perfect for statewide or regional conferences, group trainings, or individualized training for Main Street or other downtown revitalization organizations. Additional session topics can be developed to meet your particular needs.
Discounts are available for clients interested in purchasing multiple days. Fees include all workshop preparation and on-site time, as well as limited follow-up consultations with you. We do not charge for travel time.
Book your Accelerating Downtown Organizations workshop today!
Please contact Diane or Donna to discuss how we can bring one or more of our workshops to your organization today. We recommend booking your training at least two months in advance to ensure that we are available for your preferred dates.
Contact us!
Donna Ann Harris, Principal
Heritage Consulting Inc.
422 South Camac Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215 546 1988 phone
donna@heritageconsultinginc.com
Diane Williams, Director
Business Districts Inc.
9040 Forestview Rd.,
P. O. Box 5112,
Evanston, IL 60204.
708 702 9325 phone
dwilliams@business-districts.com
These sessions are perfect for statewide or regional conferences, group trainings, or individualized training for Main Street or other downtown revitalization organizations. Additional session topics can be developed to meet your particular needs.
Discounts are available for clients interested in purchasing multiple days. Fees include all workshop preparation and on-site time, as well as limited follow-up consultations with you. We do not charge for travel time.
Book your Accelerating Downtown Organizations workshop today!
Please contact Diane or Donna to discuss how we can bring one or more of our workshops to your organization today. We recommend booking your training at least two months in advance to ensure that we are available for your preferred dates.
Contact us!
Donna Ann Harris, Principal
Heritage Consulting Inc.
422 South Camac Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215 546 1988 phone
donna@heritageconsultinginc.com
Diane Williams, Director
Business Districts Inc.
9040 Forestview Rd.,
P. O. Box 5112,
Evanston, IL 60204.
708 702 9325 phone
dwilliams@business-districts.com
About the Training Series
The sessions comprising the training series are organized around traditional downtown management organization functions.
A. Political Capital: You’ll Need It!
No matter where any organization is in its development, downtown organizations and their leadership need political savvy to expand their programs. Local and state programs build credibility as they grow. But how does an organization build and sustain its political capital? And more importantly, when should it expend its political capital? Making judicious decisions that reinforce your downtown organization’s local position and strategic planning objectives is the emphasis of this three-hour workshop.
As team-taught by Donna and Diane, this session will examine discuss developing relationships with elected officials at all levels. This three-hour workshop is organized around the three Main Street organizational development phases, featuring a group work problem for each phase and a resource packet of information.
B. 50 Ways to Use the Web for Downtown Organizations
There are a million ways to use websites, blogs, software programs, and social networking sites to advance your downtown program objectives and activities. Organized around the work of a traditional downtown committee structure, this two hour workshop team taught by Donna and Diane will introduce proven, practical applications for some of our favorite web tools. This ‘fast forward’ look at the best we’ve found will permit you—novice, geek, or seasoned web surfer—to hone in on free or low cost e-resources that truly serve the needs of your downtown revitalization work. This session includes one group exercise and a resource packet of information.
C. Like a Good Marriage: Building Strong Public Private Partnerships Over Time
Public private partnership is a term with multiple definitions. For downtown organizations, it’s primarily about the cultivation and management of strong relationships, primarily with your community’s public sector, including elected and appointed officials and municipal staff. During this three-hour presentation, we will discuss the ideal relationships that downtown organizations need to get things done in partnership with the public sector. What motivates public sector help and how to develop and manage relationships with key downtown institutions (including major employers, hospitals, universities, or large nonprofit stakeholders) will be considered. The final session segment will help you consider your organization’s role in municipal partnerships with downtown real estate developers. This workshop includes two group exercises and a resource packet of information.
D. Advance Your Image, Be a Brand
Downtown programs are known for unique special events, retail promotions, and marketing. Tying these elements together in a comprehensive strategy can seem overwhelming, but it isn’t. This three-hour session, team-taught by Diane and Donna, discusses how to move from traditional promotional activities to branding your downtown efforts. By distinguishing the branding process, your organization can strategically build your brand over time. Case studies from communities, large and small, that evolved from a disconnected series of promotions to fostering a brand recognized by their consumers will be highlighted in handouts and reference materials. Two group exercises are included as part of this workshop along with a resource packet of information.
E. Sites, Dollars and Development: Restructuring Isn’t Just About the Merchants
This three-hour workshop led by Diane Williams is intended to help the experienced downtown director understand market and operating realities of key downtown business sectors. The first two workshop sections review the site selection and operating characteristics of certain format retailers (such as Barnes & Noble) and how those characteristics can be applied to downtown success. The later half of the workshop will examine the question--what exactly is a strong, independent business? Understanding what constitutes a strong business that is focused on long-term success will help your downtown remain economically viable. Strong businesses mean strong tenants. Strong tenants means property owners can invest. And we’ll talk about why rising rents may actually be good for your district. Workshop participants are encouraged to bring examples of their business support programs. The session will include group exercise and a resource packet of information will be provided.
F. Serving Diverse Populations: What Works for the Long-Term
Commercial corridors with diverse populations are often thriving and vital corridors servicing their neighborhood residents. But what constitutes retail diversity in a neighborhood commercial district with diverse populations? This two hour workshop will address how a local organization can balance familiar retail formats with the retail and service needs of the neighborhood. The session, led by Diane Williams, will discuss a recent study of a dozen case studies from retail districts from around the country that have assisted and grown their business mix over time using small business development programs or incubators to expand and deepen the business skills of merchants in the corridor. You will hear about lessons learned from community based organizations across the country working in diverse neighborhood commercial districts about what works or does not for their thriving commercial corridors.
The sessions comprising the training series are organized around traditional downtown management organization functions.
A. Political Capital: You’ll Need It!
No matter where any organization is in its development, downtown organizations and their leadership need political savvy to expand their programs. Local and state programs build credibility as they grow. But how does an organization build and sustain its political capital? And more importantly, when should it expend its political capital? Making judicious decisions that reinforce your downtown organization’s local position and strategic planning objectives is the emphasis of this three-hour workshop.
As team-taught by Donna and Diane, this session will examine discuss developing relationships with elected officials at all levels. This three-hour workshop is organized around the three Main Street organizational development phases, featuring a group work problem for each phase and a resource packet of information.
B. 50 Ways to Use the Web for Downtown Organizations
There are a million ways to use websites, blogs, software programs, and social networking sites to advance your downtown program objectives and activities. Organized around the work of a traditional downtown committee structure, this two hour workshop team taught by Donna and Diane will introduce proven, practical applications for some of our favorite web tools. This ‘fast forward’ look at the best we’ve found will permit you—novice, geek, or seasoned web surfer—to hone in on free or low cost e-resources that truly serve the needs of your downtown revitalization work. This session includes one group exercise and a resource packet of information.
C. Like a Good Marriage: Building Strong Public Private Partnerships Over Time
Public private partnership is a term with multiple definitions. For downtown organizations, it’s primarily about the cultivation and management of strong relationships, primarily with your community’s public sector, including elected and appointed officials and municipal staff. During this three-hour presentation, we will discuss the ideal relationships that downtown organizations need to get things done in partnership with the public sector. What motivates public sector help and how to develop and manage relationships with key downtown institutions (including major employers, hospitals, universities, or large nonprofit stakeholders) will be considered. The final session segment will help you consider your organization’s role in municipal partnerships with downtown real estate developers. This workshop includes two group exercises and a resource packet of information.
D. Advance Your Image, Be a Brand
Downtown programs are known for unique special events, retail promotions, and marketing. Tying these elements together in a comprehensive strategy can seem overwhelming, but it isn’t. This three-hour session, team-taught by Diane and Donna, discusses how to move from traditional promotional activities to branding your downtown efforts. By distinguishing the branding process, your organization can strategically build your brand over time. Case studies from communities, large and small, that evolved from a disconnected series of promotions to fostering a brand recognized by their consumers will be highlighted in handouts and reference materials. Two group exercises are included as part of this workshop along with a resource packet of information.
E. Sites, Dollars and Development: Restructuring Isn’t Just About the Merchants
This three-hour workshop led by Diane Williams is intended to help the experienced downtown director understand market and operating realities of key downtown business sectors. The first two workshop sections review the site selection and operating characteristics of certain format retailers (such as Barnes & Noble) and how those characteristics can be applied to downtown success. The later half of the workshop will examine the question--what exactly is a strong, independent business? Understanding what constitutes a strong business that is focused on long-term success will help your downtown remain economically viable. Strong businesses mean strong tenants. Strong tenants means property owners can invest. And we’ll talk about why rising rents may actually be good for your district. Workshop participants are encouraged to bring examples of their business support programs. The session will include group exercise and a resource packet of information will be provided.
F. Serving Diverse Populations: What Works for the Long-Term
Commercial corridors with diverse populations are often thriving and vital corridors servicing their neighborhood residents. But what constitutes retail diversity in a neighborhood commercial district with diverse populations? This two hour workshop will address how a local organization can balance familiar retail formats with the retail and service needs of the neighborhood. The session, led by Diane Williams, will discuss a recent study of a dozen case studies from retail districts from around the country that have assisted and grown their business mix over time using small business development programs or incubators to expand and deepen the business skills of merchants in the corridor. You will hear about lessons learned from community based organizations across the country working in diverse neighborhood commercial districts about what works or does not for their thriving commercial corridors.
These are sessions we have developed based on client needs. If you are interested in other topics, please contact us so we can develop a customized workshop for you.
Introducing Accelerating Downtown Organizations!
Accelerating Downtown Organizations is a new series of six workshops for growing revitalization organizations.
Donna Ann Harris and Diane Williams, both well-known revitalization specialists, have developed this series of training programs for growing downtown organizations. These sessions are team taught by both trainers, allowing us to bring our combined 20 years of downtown knowledge to your situation.
Growing Main Street organizations face unique issues and performance expectations. Organizational capacity, image development, and increasing economic complexities are among them. Donna and Diane, through their work in over 200 Main Street organizations across the country, have worked with downtown organizations dealing with these very same circumstances. These sessions can help you and your organization to be even more effective by providing practical tools and useful case studies to address your unique challenges.
Our sessions are designed for small groups of 6 to 40 and intended to simulate discussion and peer learning. All of our workshops are organized into modules of two or three hour segments and includes several individual or group learning exercises; a resource packet of information to reinforce the key concepts of the workshop, and practical skills to be carried back and used immediately in your downtown.
To learn more, read other posts, or contact us directly.
Donna Ann Harris and Diane Williams, both well-known revitalization specialists, have developed this series of training programs for growing downtown organizations. These sessions are team taught by both trainers, allowing us to bring our combined 20 years of downtown knowledge to your situation.
Growing Main Street organizations face unique issues and performance expectations. Organizational capacity, image development, and increasing economic complexities are among them. Donna and Diane, through their work in over 200 Main Street organizations across the country, have worked with downtown organizations dealing with these very same circumstances. These sessions can help you and your organization to be even more effective by providing practical tools and useful case studies to address your unique challenges.
Our sessions are designed for small groups of 6 to 40 and intended to simulate discussion and peer learning. All of our workshops are organized into modules of two or three hour segments and includes several individual or group learning exercises; a resource packet of information to reinforce the key concepts of the workshop, and practical skills to be carried back and used immediately in your downtown.
To learn more, read other posts, or contact us directly.
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