News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New Board Chair, Executive Officers, and Board Members Announced for the Main Street District The Main Street District has announced its full board member list and slate of new officers for 2024.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (January 9, 2023) – The Main Street District (formerly City Center Partnership) is honored to announce its board of directors for the 2024 calendar year, as well as a new slate of officers for the executive committee, including a new board chair.

New Board Chair and Executive Officers
Heather Mitchell, the President and a Principal-In-Charge at BOUDREAUX, will begin the 2024 year as the Main Street District’s new board chair. Heather is going into her sixth year serving on the Main Street District board of directors, her fourth year serving on the executive committee, and is the first board chair who is also a resident of the Main Street District.

With over 28 years of experience, Heather’s design leadership energizes building projects throughout the Carolinas. She is especially passionate about rehabilitating historic structures and helping local governments create thriving downtowns and helping businesses envision engaging workplaces.

Many of her firm’s projects have contributed to the vibrancy of downtown Columbia, including the State Credit Union, USC’s Campus Village, the USC School of Law, 1411 Gervais Street, Logan Elementary School, St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Richland Main Library, The Lady, and the Modjeska Simkins House and Dependency. Heather is also leading the design team for USC’s School of Medicine relocation to the BullStreet District. BOUDREAUX’s own Columbia Studio is an award-winning Main Street District historic preservation project along with the boutique
Hotel Trundle.

Further championing downtown vitality, Heather is on the Board of the Columbia Chamber, and was a founding and 11-year board member of One Columbia for Arts and Culture. A Liberty Fellow, she has launched the Riley Mayors’ Design Fellowship to educate Mayors on community planning.

“We are thrilled to have Heather at the helm of our board of directors in the coming year,” says Matt Kennell, President & CEO of the Main Street District. “Heather is passionate about the Columbia community, arts, and culture, and has been an integral part of our success for the last several years.”

The remaining slate of executive officers for the 2024 year are as follows – Drew Painter, Vice Chair (First Community Bank), Sharon Bryant, Immediate Past Chair (First Citizens Bank), Jason Caskey, Treasurer (University of South Carolina Foundations), Scott Garvin, Secretary (Garvin Design Group), Jonathan Harvey, Public Space Committee Chair (Colliers), Jeremy Becraft, Long Range Planning Committee Chair (Mast General Store), Julie Tuttle, Marketing Committee Chair (Styx Companies).

New Board Members
While many of its board members are in the middle of their term, the Main Street District is welcoming two new board members – Shayla Merritt and Beth Frost.

A native of Buffalo, N.Y., Shayla Rae Merritt is the Marketing Director of Cyberwoven, a brand, web, and marketing firm, located right on Main Street. Since moving to Columbia, S.C., Shayla has served in several marketing and communications roles for companies in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors. With experiences that include working for organizations in the hospitality, tourism, and AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) sectors, Shayla knows precisely what it takes to market a company’s brand and message to the masses.

When Shayla is not hard at work, you can find her serving on the following boards and committees: The Columbia Chamber’s Leadership Columbia Advisory Board, the Columbia Museum of Art’s Contemporaries Board, the University of South Carolina’s Black Alumni Council, AIA South Carolina’s Marketing and Communications Committee, the Main Street District’s Marketing and Communications Committee, ULI South Carolina’s Advisory Board, Melius Forum, and MIRCI’s Board of Directors.

“I am elated to join the Main Street District board, especially since I have enjoyed working in the district for the last 10 years,” says Merritt. “Watching what Matt and his team have done and continue to do to transform the district into an economic driver for our community has been truly inspiring. I am honored to join a group of thoughtful individuals who not only care for this growing community but who will work hard to continue to propel the district into the place to be – downtown on Main Street.”

Beth Frost has a passion for people and cultivating relationships that, paired with her engineering educational background, provides a unique asset in her position at Cohn Corporation. Beth plays an active role in sales and ensures client satisfaction throughout the entire construction process. She maximizes Cohn’s recognition both locally and statewide and continually builds relationships within the business community.

Beth’s involvement in her industry stretches from her local service as Past President and current member of the Board of Directors for the Congaree Vista Guild, Chair of the Columbia Connectors, committee member for both the South Carolina Economic Development Association and Central SC Alliance Committee of 100, to promoting the next generation of women in our industry through her involvement with Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW). Her previous involvement in the community includes the Leadership Columbia Class of 2012, Columbia Museum of Art Contemporaries Board of Directors and Prisma Health Cancer Center Board of Directors.

“It’s an honor to join the Board of Directors for the Main Street District in Columbia,” says Frost. “There is a lot of positive traction happening in the Main Street District and I feel fortunate to help continue to move that forward by getting to work with other leaders and bring attention to this great city.”

The full board of directors list can be found on the Main Street District website. Board meetings for the Main
Street District are open to the public, located at 1441 Main St. on the third floor in the Palmetto Conference Room
and are scheduled as follows –

Tuesday, January 9, 4 PM
Wednesday, March 14, 4 PM
Wednesday, May 8, 4 PM
Tuesday, September 10, 4 PM
Monday, November 4 (Annual Meeting, location TBD)

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About the Main Street District
The Main Street District encompasses the 36-block area bounded by Gervais, Elmwood, Assembly, and Marion
streets in Columbia, SC. The organization provides public space management, economic development, place
management, marketing services, and public advocacy for the Main Street District. The Board of Directors oversees
the organization’s mission — to focus on filling vacancies in commercial properties, retaining existing downtown
businesses and recruiting new ones, expanding the downtown residential base, and creating a safe, clean, and
friendly downtown environment.

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