Downtown Raleigh Alliance to Host Nearly 1,000 Downtown Raleigh Stakeholders at 2017 Annual Meeting
RALEIGH, NC (February 15, 2017) – The Downtown Raleigh Alliance (DRA) will host nearly 1,000 stakeholders at its 2017 Annual Meeting and Downtown Achievement Awards Ceremony, presented by PNC tomorrow, February 16, from 5:30 pm until 8 pm at the Raleigh Convention Center.
This year's event aims to encourage inclusivity within our city. Keynote speaker Christopher Beynon will share unique insight on how an inclusive and equitable economic development strategy will drive the success of cities of the future.
Beynon will be available for in-person interviews the day of the event.
On-site admission will be available for $120. For more event information, please visit our website at www.YouRHere.com/AnnualMeeting.
We invite media to cover the event. Please email danny.vivenzio@downtownRaleigh.org to RSVP.
Each year, the event celebrates individuals, businesses, and organizations whose contributions are making a significant impact on the downtown renaissance:
The Downtown Advocate Award recognizes an outstanding government employee whose advocacy and commitment positively impacted downtown in 2016. This year’s award goes to Kirsten Larson from the City of Raleigh Budget and Management Department for her role in handling the creation, communication, and facilitation of a new contract for the Downtown Municipal Services District.
The Downtown Ambassador Award recognizes a Downtown Safety Ambassador who goes above and beyond in their call of duty to keep downtown safe and welcoming. This year the DRA recognizes Elijah Evans. His work ethic, teamwork, and outstanding customer service launched him into a supervisor position within just six months.
The Downtown Distinguished Leader Award honors an extraordinary individual whose involvement and contributions to making downtown a success have been realized over many years. DRA is proud to recognize Orage Quarles III. Orage retired as the president and publisher of the News and Observer this past June after 16 years at the helm of the paper, and after more than 40 years in the industry. Under his leadership, The N&O doubled its roster of free community newspapers, launched Walter Magazine, and expanded its online presence.
The Downtown Merchant Legacy Award is presented to a downtown storefront business that has been in business for over 10 years and is recognized as an iconic establishment in the downtown community. We present the award to Logan’s One Stop Garden Shop. Logan’s is now in its third generation of ownership, under the direction of Leslie Logan and Joshua Logan, who still work alongside their parents. Since its start in 1965, Logan’s has become a pillar of the downtown Raleigh community by serving it with programs such as Plant a Row for the Hungry to get people back to their roots in gardening and giving.
The Downtown Rising Star Award is presented to a downtown storefront business that has been in business for three years or fewer and has become a local favorite in the community. This year’s Rising Star is Garland. Described as a spice-driven seasonal restaurant with a focus on Indian/Asian fusion, owners Cheetie Kumar and Paul Siler opened Garland in 2014 after starting as a walk-up window attached to Kings.
The Downtown Resident Award goes to a resident who has been a strong supporter and advocate for downtown and has positively impacted the downtown community in 2016. We present the award to Leo Suarez, writer of The Raleigh Connoisseur. Leo has written about development, planning, transportation, new businesses, and other topics on this popular blog, which has chronicled downtown’s renaissance with thoughtful and detailed analysis of its growth through the eyes of an invested citizen.
Thank you to our sponsors:
Presenting Sponsor: PNC
Achievement Awards Sponsor: Kimley-Horn
Platinum Sponsors: Amazing Studios; American Audio Visual; Highwoods Properties; Poyner Spruill; Raleigh Convention Center; Triangle Business Journal; and UNC Rex Healthcare
Gold Sponsors: 18 Seaboard; ABC 11; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina; CBRE | Raleigh; Clark Nexsen; CPI Security Systems; Duke Energy; Greene Resources; Hyde Street Holdings, LLC; iHeartMedia; JDavis; JLL; Kane Realty Corporation; SunTrust Bank; and Triangle Downtowner Magazine
Silver Sponsors: Alexander Family YMCA; Alfred Williams & Company; Allied Universal; AT&T North Carolina; August Construction Solutions, Inc.; Balfour Beatty Construction; Blue Ridge Realty; Bordeaux Construction Inc. / RATIO; CALYX Engineers + Consultants; Campbell University School of Law; Carolina Ballet / North Carolina Opera; CE Rental; Citrix; City Club Raleigh; Clancy & Theys Construction Company; Coastal Federal Credit Union; ColeJenest & Stone; Colliers International; Cushman & Wakefield; Deco Raleigh; Duke Raleigh Hospital; Food Lion; French | West | Vaughan; Friends of the North Carolina Museum and Natural Sciences; Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce; Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton - Raleigh Downtown @ Glenwood South; Hibernian Hospitality Group; Hobby Properties; Ipreo; LS3P; Marbles Kids Museum & IMAX Theatre; Michelin OnSite; NANDO Media Company; NC Retail Merchants Association; North State Bank; Pepsi Bottling Ventures; PointClick Technologies; Raleigh Marriott City Center; Ray Price Harley-Davidson; Rodgers Builders; Shaw University; Spectrum Properties; Stewart; Table of Contents; Taxi Taxi; TradeMark Properties; US Foods; Williams Mullen; Womble Carlyle; WRAL-TV; and York Properties
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About Downtown Raleigh Alliance (DRA):
DRA is an award-winning nonprofit organization whose mission is to continue the revitalization of Raleigh’s downtown. The Alliance enhances the quality of life and positively impacts the economic success of downtown through six core services: 1. Safety and Hospitality Ambassadors; 2. Strategic Branding & Community Communications; 3. Events Production; 4. Retail Attraction & Merchant Promotions; 5. Strategic Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement; and 6. Strategic Planning. For more information about DRA, please visit www.YouRHere.com.