BY STEVE LACKMEYER
Published: January 7, 2009

For the past three months Downtown Oklahoma City Inc. has been searching for a new president who has extensive experience — someone with ties to the International Downtown Association.

Jane Jenkins


The person they’ve hired happens to be the IDA’s current chairman, Jane Jenkins.

Jenkins, currently director of the Downtown Boulder Improvement District in Boulder, Colo., is set to take over in March. The job has been vacant since Brett Hamm’s resignation in September.

"Downtown Oklahoma City is an exceptional example of what a community can accomplish with a commitment to a common vision,” Jenkins said Tuesday.

Jenkins began her downtown management career in Wagoner as its Main Street program manager. She held the same position in Pawhuska before moving to Denton, Texas.

"Jane’s history of leading successful business improvement districts and experience in downtown management and revitalization makes her the perfect choice,” said David Rainbolt, board chairman for Downtown Oklahoma City Inc.

link

Jane Jenkins sounds alot like Jane Jacobs.

just sayin...

Who is Jane Jacobs?

Jane Jacobs

Jane Jacobs was just one woman who took on "god" (otherwise known as Robert Moses) and won.

I'm a little confused, saw the article this morning, but I thought that the previous article stating that all 3 finalists were coming from more urban, larger metros. Call me crazy but Boulder isn't larger, parts of it are more urban, and overall it's definitely a much more progressive city than we, but Boulder is not the city background I was expecting. The rest of her experience comes from small-town Oklahoma (Wagoner and Pawhuska?) and Baja Oklahoma (Denton). Does this concern anyone? Just curious...

Metro, I never reported on three finalists. I posted on my blog that there were two finalists, and they both came from impressive downtowns. You've got someone who is serving a second year as chair of the International Downtown Association, has years of experience with Main Street programs, worked with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and lastly was with downtown Boulder. And before you knock Boulder, you might want to visit the city for yourself (I passed through there several years ago).

Steve, never said you were the reporter, never knocked anyone, just asked opinons. Didn't knock Boulder, have been there and mentioned it was progressive (more than OKC is). Was just asking if my observations concerned anyone.

Well, if you've been to downtown Boulder, you've got to admit it's got a lot going right. And there's a lot of things they've achieved that I've heard locals here pleading for. I'm not saying Jenkins will be the right person - I don't know her. But I'm curious about your take on her resume...

Do you know where she went to college?

Here's the full release with all of the information:

DOWNTOWN OKC INC. NAMES JANE JENKINS PRESIDENT
Revitalization Expert to Play Key Role in Downtown Renaissance

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Downtown OKC Inc. Chairman, David Rainbolt, announced today that Jane Jenkins, a prominent downtown expert and the Chairman of the Board of the International Downtown Association (IDA), has been selected President of Downtown OKC Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and maintaining downtown revitalization. Jenkins will begin in March, 2009.

“Jane’s history of leading successful business improvement districts and experience in downtown management and revitalization makes her the perfect choice,” said Rainbolt. “Jane has strong Oklahoma ties and is excited at the opportunity to continue the renaissance of downtown Oklahoma City. We feel fortunate that someone of Jane’s caliber has chosen to lead Downtown Oklahoma City Inc.”

Downtown OKC, Inc. (DOKC) is a non-profit organization that serves to promote, market and develop downtown Oklahoma City in conjunction with numerous downtown stakeholders. DOKC works closely with the City of Oklahoma City, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority, Oklahoma County and numerous other partners and focuses on achieving the maximum benefit for downtown as a full-time advocate.

Jenkins currently serves as the Executive Director of the Downtown Boulder Business Improvement District, a position she has held since 2000. Under her leadership, Downtown Boulder developed and implemented a consistent brand identity and maintained a 95% retail occupancy rate. She also recently led the effort to renew the term of the DBBID through December 2029.

Currently serving in her second term as Chair for the International Downtown Association board of directors, Ms. Jenkins is also immediate past-president of the Colorado Community Revitalization Association and served as a board member of the Texas Downtown Association.

Ms. Jenkins was born in Virginia and grew up in Charleston, SC. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts Education from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa and a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Texas in Denton. She taught secondary school in Chandler and Tulsa before beginning her downtown management career in Wagoner, OK as the Main Street Manager. After serving in the same capacity in Pawhuska, Jane moved to Denton, Texas where she managed the downtown development program there for eight years before joining the staff of the National Trust for Historic Preservation as the Regional Director of the Southwest Office in Fort Worth, TX. She accepted the position as the first director of the Downtown Boulder Business Improvement District in 2000.

Working through the National Main Street Center, Ms. Jenkins consults with many downtown programs across the US and Canada. She has also served on R/UDAT and SDAT teams for the AIA and been a member of IDA and ULI advisory panels.

She is a current board member of Blue Sky Bridge, a child and family advocacy organization in Boulder County and a community member for the Restorative Justice Program at the University of Colorado. Jane is married to Howell Felsenthal, a native of Ponca City and graduate of the University of Oklahoma. They look forward to their return to Oklahoma.

“Downtown Oklahoma City is an exceptional example of what a community can accomplish with a commitment to a common vision,” said Jenkins. “From a distance, I have watched the impressive turn around of Downtown Oklahoma City. It will be a tremendous opportunity to have a front row seat for Downtown’s rise to the next level.”

DOKC is responsible for producing some of downtown’s most successful events including Downtown in December, the Dean A. McGee Awards, SoundBites in the Park and the Move UP Downtown Living Tour. DOKC contracts with the city to administer and manage the Downtown Business Improvement District whose projects make downtown a clean, safe, vibrant and friendly place. For more information about Downtown OKC Inc., visit Downtown OKC > Home.

Put me down as someone a little disappointed in the hiring. I too was hoping for someone coming from a larger city. No disrespect to her or to the city of Boulder.

Yea, I'm underwhelmed...A communication arts degree from Oral Roberts University? Anyone know what the downtowns\main streets are like in Pawhuska and Wagoner?

mecarr, she has a Masters in Public Administration from North Texas.

Are you holding the fact that this is her second career against her?

OH MY GOSH!! Do you think we can please let Jane at sit at her desk before you start trashing her. You do not become the chair of the International Downtown Association without a knowing an extensive amount about downtowns of all sizes. Please just sit back and watch for a while and I think you will be impressed.

No. I'm sure she is competent, hardworking and accomplished. However, I was just hoping for someone that had more experience in building up downtown areas in mid-size to large cities.

Ah yes, don't you just love the welcoming warmth and charm of the annonymous posters of OKC Talk?

I wish her well but Boulder is one-fifth the size of OKC and her background before that was exclusively in very small towns.

Plus, Boulder couldn't be more different than OKC in terms of downtown. It's mainly retail, the population is denser than Denver and it's a college town. Also, that area was thriving long before Jenkins arrived in 2000. How does her experience translate to a much larger city that is a real Central Business District with virtually no retail?

I guess we'll find out and her IDA leadership role will certainly help. But you can't blame people for raising these points.

Pete, what comes off as being a bit strident is the idea that her experience doesn't amount to much. I don't think being chair of the IDA is simply the result of a popularity contest - it's in response to accomplishment and involvement with downtown issues not just in Boulder but on a national stage.

What's weird, and correct me if I'm wrong, but there was no such concerns voiced two years ago when a man without any downtown experience (Brett Hamm's experience was with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Sen. Don Nickles, Mayor Kirk Humphreys and Saxum Communications) was hired for the same job.

Seriously, people! settle down! She's got a good resume that's exactly what DOKC needs- prominent leader in downtown management (IDA), experience dealing with urban retail (95% occupancy in Boulder), experience dealing with BIDs (renewal of Boulder's BID), and experience dealing with Oklahoma's main street program (Pawhuska and Wagoner).

Those are incredible qualifications for the position. Let's welcome Jane to Oklahoma City.

WELCOME Jane!!!

OK, I've written an entire blog post at www.okccentral.com in response to this thread. I'm fully prepared to have another thread started here where all of you gather with pitchforks and torches and try to digitally burn me in effigy!

-Steve

Welcome to Oklahoma, Jane. I think she will do a great job, she has the credentials and she's lived in Oklahoma before.

She'll be fine, IMHO. The importance of the position is a little bit overblown. Businesses will locate where it's profitable to locate regardless of what chamber of commerce types have to say.

Jane Jenkins seems to be a good hire. She's got a great track record in other cities. OKC is a great opportunity. She's walking into a ridiculously good thing though. She'll be presiding over DOKC during the period in which the Devon tower is built, alongside its massive TIF bond.

If she's reasonably competent, DOKC will do quite well. If she's as talented as I think she is, she'll do great.

What happened to Brett Hamm? I know it's old news.