Downtown Pittsfield Hires New Executive
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Pamela Tobin of Colonie, N.Y., began her duties as executive director on Monday, replacing longtime director Yvonne Pearson. Pearson retired last October after serving 15 years with the organization.
Tobin was selected from a pool of 75 applicants for the position.
"We are delighted to welcome Ms. Tobin to Downtown Pittsfield and have great confidence in her deep commitment to and experience in the fields of downtown management and marketing," said Peter Lafayette, president of the board of directors, in a statement. "Our organization is at a critical juncture and we are ready to move forward on several initiatives and believe that Pam has the leadership skills and experience to help us achieve our objectives as outlined in our strategic plan."
Tobin will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the organization, growing membership and implementing a new marketing effort and new promotions to support downtown businesses. She will be the main liaison with the city and downtown businesses and property owners on the completion of the streetscape project and the delivery of city services.
"There have been many positive improvements in Downtown Pittsfield during the past several years and the DPI board and committees have an aggressive strategic plan to carry the organization through 2015. I am encouraged by their commitment and tenacity and eager to start working with the stakeholders to accomplish the stated goals," she said in a statement.
Tobin was director of the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District Inc. in New York for 13 years and, more recently, a marketing and management consultant.
She is credited for developing and implementing the marketing campaign "Downtown Albany: Worth Discovering Since 1609" (marking the year of Henry Hudson's landing) and establishing downtown Albany as an arts, entertainment and dining destination in the Capital Region. Under her leadership, Albany has hosted Sculpture in the Streets since 1998 and Restaurant Week, a weeklong event featuring a fixed-priced, three-course menu for $16.09 at downtown restaurants. The event resulted in attracting 15,000 diners from a 300-ZIP code-radius.
She also oversaw the initiation and execution of a $1.5 million wayfinding, directional and parking signage system in downtown Albany and was liaison with property owners, businesses and entertainment venues during the three-year $23 million Pearl Street reconstruction project.
However, Tobin's tenure was tarnished over revelations in 2009 that she was among thousands on a VIP list who were not fined for parking violations; she resigned not long after for undisclosed reasons. Lafayette told The Berkshire Eagle on Monday that he was unaware of the parking scandal.
