What's up with the new Bricktown Association Director? and Downtown OKC Inc?

[metro]

I know the person is new and getting settled in, but at this level of executive leadership there shouldn't be much "settling in" period. Same goes for DOKC new Director, people gave her a free pass for over a year now. I hear nothing out of either of these organizations, I thought Skyline Snapshot was going to be revived too, still nothing. I'm unimpressed. My employers have always expected me to hit the ground running, I would expect the same out of this level of leadership. Am I off base? Maybe some of you more connected with these two organizations can fill us in a little........(urbanized?)

[LakeEffect]

I think Steve may have an opinion on this, so he'd be a good person to ask. As for my opinion, I think the new directors have definitely hit the ground running. Both organizations needed revamping from the inside out, and it takes time to do that well. Bricktown in particular (as I've learned) has been very fragmented in the past. Jeanette has needed time to get to know all of the players (owners and tenants) and really understand the issues. Jane Jenkins, at DowntownOKC Inc., had a variety of organizational changes to deal with. I get more What's Up with Downtown emails than I used to.

My question is, what do you expect from them? As an outsider, what do you think their job descriptions are? Why would you expect to "hear" something out of them?

[CaseyCornett]

Cafe, good questions.

[LordGerald]

Regarding the BA, I have to say that communication has improved vastly under Jeannette. No offense to Cowan, but he ran the BA like a secret society. I'm personally fairly pleased with the open communication.

[metro]

You raise good and fair points cafebouf, I guess I should have rephrased my original intent, to encourage a healthy dialogue on the subject, and frankly I don't think you hear much about Jane Jenkins or the new Bricktown Director (so little I don't even know her name, other than you mentioning it). I used to be pretty well connected to both organizations and still get in the email loop (some on the downtown property interest emails). I agree, I get more "What's Up" emails, but that is where it stops for the most part. Seems like I heard more as a whole about DOKC before the transition.

[Steve]

Regarding the BA, I have to say that communication has improved vastly under Jeannette. No offense to Cowan, but he ran the BA like a secret society. I'm personally fairly pleased with the open communication.

I'm not going to get into details, but my impression of Cowan vs. the current leadership is 100 percent the opposite of what you're saying.

[soonerguru]

Jeanette Smith is going to do wonders for the Bricktown Association. She is not one of the good old boys who have run things the way they have for so long.

[Steve]

Maybe. We'll see. Didn't think of Cowan as a good old boy. He certainly was willing to challenge them on many an occasion.

[soonerguru]

Maybe. We'll see. Didn't think of Cowan as a good old boy. He certainly was willing to challenge them on many an occasion.

He's a great guy no doubt. That said, he's been on the B-town scene a long time. Not sure if that makes him a good old boy, but he was definitely invited to the club meetings.

[Steve]

Yeah, where he didn't shy away from sometimes telling the "good old boys" things they didn't want to hear - both as a restaurant owner and then as director.

[Patrick]

I think the choice of Jeannette is horrible actually. I mean, she was the marketing director for Penn Square. She knows absolutely nothing about working the politics of a political organization, and working with city government, or working with individual owners of Bricktown properties.

[ksearls]

Which makes her the perfect choice! Seriously, give her a chance, I think she was a great hire.

[Steve]

How does that make her the perfect choice?

[okcboy]

Great person and quailified. Just needs to get off the fence and start fighting against the forces of evil. Hopefully she realizes this and can get it done. Good luck.
Its not a job for the timid. Bricktown is the star. Lets keep it shining bright.

[okclee]

Good point, "Bricktown is the Star" and many stars have major egos. If Stars don't continue to turn out quality work they give way to the younger up and coming Stars.

[Patrick]

Marketing a mall, and running a political entertainment district are two different things. It will be a "learn on the job" for her, and I just worry how long that "learning" will take. I'm afraid she'll be a pushover, and we need someone with strong political know-how to get us through MAPS 3 and beyond.

[soonerguru]

Haters.

Jeanette is a nice lady.

[Steve]

Jenette is a very nice lady.

[Patrick]

I never said she wasn't a nice lady.