Downtown San Jose group picks leader at key time for city economy

SAN JOSE The San Jose Downtown Association has picked a new leader as the Bay Area s largest city seeks to further invigorate its urban core and prepare for a trifecta of major sporting events in Brian Kurtz was named as the chief executive officer of the San Jose Downtown Association a role that puts Kurtz in a key position to influence the economic advancement of downtown for years to come Brian Kurtz newly appointed chief executive officer of the San Jose Downtown Association Brian Kurtz LinkedIn page The San Jose Downtown Association has such a strong legacy history and impact in the downtown Kurtz commented in an interview with this news organization It s an absolute honor to lead this organization and to be in this San Jose society The appointment occurs as the city prepares for three critical sporting events in the Super Bowl one of the rounds of the NCAA men s basketball tournament and several games of the FIFA World Cup soccer competition is a huge opportunity for San Jose Kurtz reported All eyes are on this neighborhood with the upcoming Super Bowl celebration March Madness and the World Cup Yet once the cheers and jeers for these big-time sporting events recede into memory Kurtz is well aware that long-term challenges and opportunities will beckon from downtown San Jose s economic horizon Longer term we know that San Jose and other downtowns around the country are still seeing the extreme impact of the pandemic and the economic conditions afterwards Kurtz declared Kurtz will also be in position to bring long-term stability to the CEO post at the association In long-time San Jose Downtown Association CEO Scott Knies stepped down after three decades in the top role Alex Stettinski took over that same year but by April Stettinski quit unexpectedly and was hurriedly replaced by board President Alex Gumby Marques on an interim basis That prompted a wide-ranging search for a new CEO that eventually led San Jose authorities to consider three finalists including Kurtz Kurtz is a downtown expansion and urban place management expert who was CEO of the Downtown Tulsa Association in Oklahoma at the time he was named to the San Jose role He also held key roles in the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership in Pennsylvania and with the Erie County Industrial Growth Agency in New York state I m excited about this appointment San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan reported I had an opportunity to sit down with the three finalists I was really impressed with his vision for downtown and vibrancy downtown Mahan commented Marques played a crucial role as interim CEO pointing to the work underway in San Jose to prepare for the upcoming sports events Gumby Marques stepped up in a big way during this transition Mahan noted Gumby s leadership is worth noting because we couldn t afford to slow down in our preparations for Mahan explained he was impressed with Kurtz s attention to detail He has a familiarity with and a passion for the basic blocking and tackling that we want the SJDTA to do Mahan reported They do an amazing job of promoting clean and walkable streets But they have an opportunity to do even more regarding storefront activation recruitment of small businesses and financing in placemaking Kurtz believes San Jose State University can continue to play a huge role in creating a more vibrant downtown When you look at major and progressing downtowns it s not every day that you have a top-tier institution like San Jose State University Kurtz explained I am extremely excited about the opportunities to collaborate with the university as a whole as well as the students who are taking classes and living downtown Kurtz is also well aware of the dynamic of very lively sections of downtown San Jose such as San Pedro Square the SoFA district and the Fountain Alley area and the stretches of vacant retail and restaurant fronts that keep these vibrant hubs disconnected from each other These are wonderful nodes of activity in downtown San Jose Kurtz explained There is expected to better connect these nodes We want to create more ongoing storefronts We must ensure that the walk from one of these to the other is enjoyable In various methods the sporting events merely represent the start of the work needed in downtown San Jose I want to keep building a foundation for a long-term great future for the downtown Kurtz noted