Release Date: January 11,2024
Downtown Akron Partnership Board of Directors Names Vice President and Interim President, Announces Search for President
January 10, 2024, Akron, Ohio — Downtown Akron Partnership (DAP) announces that longtime staff member Kimberly Beckett has been promoted to Vice President and will serve as Interim President of the organization while the Board of Directors conducts an open search to identify potential candidates to serve as DAP’s next president. This news comes after the January 4 announcement that current DAP President & CEO Suzie Graham will be appointed Director of Economic Development for the City of Akron, after 12 years of dedicated service to the downtown neighborhood.
Beckett has worked closely alongside Graham for over a decade and has been employed at DAP since 2007. Her extensive experience with the organization and most recent position of Director of Business Relations and Development will allow DAP to continue to grow and thrive with excellence. For years, she has worked closely with downtown stakeholders through retention visits with commercial and retail businesses and communications with businesses, property owners, residents, and others. She has also worked tirelessly to connect businesses to resources and available real estate downtown, in addition to spearheading downtown planning initiatives and public space planning and activation.
Beckett received her bachelor’s degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison and her master’s degree in public administration from The University of Akron. She is a Torchbearers Alumnus and is former Vice President of the Friends of Metro Parks board of directors.
The relationships Beckett has cultivated with downtown stakeholders over the past several years, and her encyclopedic familiarity with the district, are tremendous assets to the organization and will continue to serve it well through this period of transition.
Of the organizational shift, Beckett says, “I have learned so much under Suzie's leadership, and I am excited to carry the momentum we have built over the years as we work alongside downtown stakeholders to move the neighborhood forward as a thriving and vibrant place for all people.”
As an essential part of downtown’s economic development engine, DAP looks forward to a growing relationship with Graham in her new role with the City of Akron. The organization also looks forward to ensuring continuity of service during this transition, thanks to a supporting staff rich in talent and institutional knowledge that has been cultivated and retained over the years.
In her time with DAP, Graham's work has centered on the necessity of a thriving urban core and the importance of downtown as a key component of the health and success of the city and region. Of her upcoming transition, Graham states, “I am truly grateful for the enriching experiences, valuable lessons, insightful board, and wonderful colleagues I've had the privilege to work with during my time here. I take great pride in the daily strides we've made to enhance the downtown experience. With complete confidence in the capable staff and dedicated board of directors, I am certain that the legacy of excellence we've built will not only endure but also flourish in the days ahead.”
DAP Board President Julie Wesel remarks: “We thank Suzie for her truly impactful service and leadership at DAP and look forward to her continued work on behalf of our city. Kimberly Beckett is an accomplished, proven leader who is deeply connected to the downtown community. Along with her dedicated team, she will provide DAP with continuity and maintain the level of excellence in serving the neighborhood through this transition.”