August

PAT DIGIOVANNI AS ORGANIZATION'S NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 

SAN ANTONIO - Centro Partnership, the new entity comprised of local leadership from both the public and private sectors and tasked with downtown San Antonio redevelopment, announced today that Deputy City Manager Pat DiGiovanni has been hired as the organization's new Chief Executive Officer.

"We are thrilled to get someone of Pat's caliber to lead this dynamic organization," said Don Frost, Chairman of the Centro Partnership Board of Directors.  "He was recently honored as Downtowner of the Year by Downtown Alliance, so his passion for the urban core speaks for itself.  But, it is Pat's unique ability to envision transformational projects and navigate often complicated development deals that makes him the perfect person for the job."

Frost went on to say that DiGiovanni will stay in his role as Deputy City Manager through January 1st to wrap up major initiatives he is currently working on while his replacement can be identified.

"I am excited to begin a new but yet familiar role in assisting in the revitalization of downtown San Antonio and the surrounding neighborhoods," said DiGiovanni. "I want to thank City Manager Sheryl Sculley for her leadership in Inner City revitalization.  Sheryl has been incredibly supportive throughout my tenure with the City.  I'm also extremely proud of the work we've accomplished with the city over the past seven years, but look forward to the opportunities associated with Centro Partnership."

Specifically, DiGiovanni said he will focus on achieving the results detailed in the Centro Partnership long range plan for downtown.  Those include preserving and enhancing the San Antonio River Walk; attracting major businesses to downtown; developing a stronger retail core at the street level; producing an expanded and improved marketing campaign that attracts local residents as well as tourists; adding more robust residential development;  collaborating with VIA Metropolitan Transit, as well as parking providers to ensure a seamless access system for downtown; partnering with the City, County and other entities on major projects like Hemisfair Park.

City Manager Sheryl Sculley praised DiGiovanni's work at City Hall and looks forward to a continued working relationship."We will miss Pat's outstanding work at City Hall, but the net positive for the entire community is that he will continue to work for the betterment of San Antonio. Pat is trusted and experienced with a reputation for getting things done. His transition over the next four months will be advantageous for the City and Centro.  The City looks forward to working with Pat in his new leadership role at Centro Partnership.  This is a natural progression of Pat's extensive work on the downtown strategic plan and its implementation."

Centro Partnership will also retain the services of Ben Brewer, President of Downtown Alliance and the Centro San Antonio Management Corporation (Downtown Public Improvement District), who has more than twenty years of operational experience and strong relationships with downtown merchants and property owners.

"I look forward to working with Ben and the members of Downtown Alliance.  Together, we can advocate for downtown and the center city in a very powerful way," said DiGiovanni.

"Pat is the right man at the right time for this job," said Brewer.  "Big things are happening for downtown right now with regard to H-Park, Southtown and the Broadway corridor redevelopment efforts.  He brings outstanding skills and a keen understanding of the public/private partnerships necessary to achieve what we all desire - a great downtown for a great city."

Centro Partnership's first organizational meeting was held in December 2010 with the goal of developing a public/private partnership that would lead to transformational downtown revitalization.  Its founding members include Mayor Julian Castro, Judge Nelson Wolff, City Manager Sheryl Sculley, Don Frost and Jack Spector.  Centro Partnership is funded through public and private sector contributions.