Salina Downtown, Inc., has a new executive director.
The Salina Downtown Inc. BID Advisory Board announced late this afternoon that Leslie Bishop is the new executive director. Most recently, she has been serving as interim executive director.
According to a news release from the organization, Bishop brings a background of hotel, hospitality, marketing, and management into her new role. She is a person who believes that positive relationships foster new ideas and creates an environment that makes people want to see each other succeed. Bishop sees strong working relationships between community leaders as not only beneficial to those in Salina Downtown, but to all of those who call Salina home.
"I am excited to be a part of the growth in Salina Downtown. We have an energy and I'm really excited to be a part of that," Bishop said. "I am looking forward to learning more about everything, Salina Downtown, building new relationships, and working with community leaders to build strong partnerships that help our organizations grow."
“As we searched for our new executive director, it became clear that we had been given a gift office,” said Cassie Streit, board president. “Leslie stepped up in a big way, taking on more responsibility than the board had ever expected, and she did it with a smile and grace. It only made sense to allow her to continue her hard work and to give her the chance to flourish as executive director.”
Salina Downtown, Inc., was established as a nonprofit merchant’s association in 1975, and was one of the first business improvement districts in Kansas, beginning in 1983. SDI is governed by a 13-member board of directors.