DOWNTOWN NOW! THE VOICE OF DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND
DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND ALLIANCE
COMMUNITY LEADER
Resilient in the Face of Adversity DCA’S MICHAEL DEEMER DELIVERS HIS FIRST STATE OF DOWNTOWN ADDRESS.
COURTESY DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND ALLIANCE
M
ichael Deemer, Downtown Cleveland Alliance’s (DCA) new president and CEO, recently took to the podium at the City Club to deliver his first State of Downtown address. After being welcomed by Kristen Baird Adams, president of the City Club’s board of directors and Dan Moulthrop, CEO of the City Club, Deemer summed up the state of downtown in six words: “Resilient in the face of adversity.” Naturally, Deemer took time to thank the City Club for supplying the venue and event sponsors PNC and the United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland for their support, as well as the continuing support of the many community partners of DCA. He also took time to thank the staff and board of directors at DCA for their work. “I would also like to recognize my predecessor, Joe Marinucci, our former CEO, who has been a terrific mentor to me over the years and who has done so much for this organization,” Deemer said. Deemer, who took the reins as president and CEO of DCA this summer after Marinucci stepped down, also recognized the significant generational change that is taking place both within DCA
and the city. “I would like to congratulate Kevin Kelley and Justin Bibb on their victories Tuesday evening in advancing to the next round of the general election,” Deemer said. “One of them will become the next mayor of Cleveland. And re- Dan Moulthrop and Michael Deemer gardless of the outcome, it will continue the generational change DCA will continue its mission of atthat is taking place in our civic culture tracting people, jobs and investment in Cleveland. I look forward to work- to the city’s core, Deemer said. This is ing with them over the next couple of at a time when downtowns across the months and next several years to con- country continue to face the unprecetinue to build our city.” dented challenges of the past year-andIn addressing the issue of resil- a-half, including those stemming from ience and adversity, Deemer took time the global pandemic. “That certainly is the case here in to reintroduce the audience to DCA and its mission, while addressing the Cleveland, against the backdrop of an exwell-documented challenges posed by traordinary period of transition and opportunity,” said Deemer. “Picture what the pandemic. “I will also speak to the legacy chal- comes to mind when you think of Downlenges that we faced before the pandem- town Cleveland. In your mind’s eye, you ic that are still with us today and will be think of bustling sidewalks, packed sports stadiums and live music and thewith us afterward,” he said. As the only nonprofit that serves ater, a thriving foodie scene and busy ofas the voice and steward of Down- fice towers. All of these things in the past town Cleveland, which has the larg- year-and-a-half have been in jeopardy.” In Cleveland, the pandemic has est concentration of jobs and is the largest residential downtown in Ohio, caused streets to be quieter. Shops and
By Terry Troy clevelandmagazine.com/cleader
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COMMUNITY LEADER 21
