Posted 12:34 am Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Main Street Head Tapped To Lead State Organization
By CASEY MURPHY
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
The director of Tyler's Main Street Program has been elected president of the Texas Downtown Association for 2010.
Beverly Abell came to Tyler in 2005 as the city's executive director of Heart of Tyler/Main Street. This year, she became director of the Main Street Program, an agency formed when Heart of Tyler partnered with the city in 2008. She takes the reins as president Jan. 1, 2010.
In August, the city opened the Gallery Main Street, 110 W. Erwin St., which houses the Tyler Main Street Department, a visitors' center, the Heart of Tyler and an art gallery.
Mrs. Abell said being elected president of the Texas Downtown Association (TDA) provides the potential for service and opportunity in two areas. She said it allows Tyler to be a part of a great network of other downtown programs in Texas and lets them represent Tyler and East Texas throughout the state.
An Oklahoma native, Mrs. Abell began her Main Street career in the early 1990s as manager of the Woodward Main Street Program. She went on to work for the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Main Street Center in Washington, D.C., helping areas throughout the country create plans for downtown preservation.
While living in England, she did consulting work with the Civic Trust in establishment of Main Street-type programs in Cambridgeshire. She also managed local programs in Cushing, Okla., and Greeley, Colo. Her accomplishments include being named Oklahoma Main Street Director of the Year.
Mrs. Abell and other officers were elected for the Austin-based TDA for 2010 at the group's annual conference held in November in Tyler. Mrs. Abell has served as vice president of the organization for the last two years.
The TDA Board of Directors is comprised of 15 members from across the state directly involved in a range of downtown revitalization activities. The board members include downtown professionals and managers, main street managers from the Texas Main Street Program, private sector consultants and small business owners.
TDA, which celebrates its 25th anniversary next year, has more than 400 members from Texas downtowns involved in revitalization efforts.
At the annual conference, TDA members elected people to the board of directors and the board members elected the officers. Frieda Hanley, Decatur Main Street Program manager, was elected vice president; Debbie Charbonneau, tourism director of the Village of Salado, secretary; and Austin Architect Richard "Dick" Ryan, treasurer.
Mrs. Abell said she will hold the next TDA conference in El Paso in late fall of 2010.
