Steven J. Hoffman, Ph.D. is a professor of history, director of the Bollinger Center for Regional History, and coordinator of the Historic Preservation program at Southeast Missouri State University where he teaches classes in Historic Preservation, Architectural History, and the Built Environment. He is a graduate of the National Main Street Center’s Certification Institute and has given numerous workshops and presentations on Main Street and Historic Preservation topics. He serves on the boards of Missouri Main Street Connection and Old Town Cape, a local Main Street organization. He earned a Master’s degree in Heritage Preservation from Georgia State University and a Ph.D. in History from Carnegie Mellon University.

Dana, a Principal at SFS, has dedicated her career to the appropriate treatment of historic properties including preservation, restoration and rehabilitation. Her experience also includes preservation planning, materials conservation and building condition assessments. Recognizing the cultural significance historic buildings represent within their communities, Dana works with property owners to evaluate the potential value of their existing building. She helps make decisions on possible reuse and the creation of functional spaces for contemporary use and future generations. She takes the time to understand each property she works on, delving into the history, significance and construction of the building before developing comprehensive solutions.

Bernice Radle, Executive Director, Preservation Buffalo Niagara, works to identify, protect and promote the unique architecture and historic legacy in Western New York.   Bernice Radle is an urban planner, historic preservationist, and building science nerd. She believes that strong healthy neighborhoods are the key to a community’s successes. She also believes that neighborhood strength isn’t defined by how expensive the homes are; it is defined by how inclusive it is to all walks of life. She formerly served as Vice Chair of the City of Buffalo Zoning Board of Appeals, a faculty member of the incremental Development Alliance, and a VIP with the Buffalo’s Young Preservationists. She also works with Neighborhood Evolution that trains and builds the ecosystems needed to support small scale development.

Brian is a passionate advocate for thriving local communities who grew up in the charming Gold Rush town of Placerville, CA. As an MBA research project at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business, he sought to tackle “the local marketing problem”. As the founder and CEO of Locable, he is also the author of “Marketing 3-4-5™: The Business Owner’s Guide to Effective Local Marketing in 15-Minutes or Less.” Locable’s software powers nearly 200 local media websites, over a hundred Main Street Programs, and thousands of small businesses across the US. Brian and his family recently concluded a multi-year cross-country tour in which he taught Marketing 3-4-5™ to small businesses through workshops nationwide and now resides with his family of 7 in Middle Tennessee.

Stephanie Campbell Yount has led many lives, but “community champion” is her favorite. As an entrepreneur and Main Street board member, Stephanie has made supporting the revitalization of her hometown’s Main Street a passion project. Together with her husband Kent, they have taken on redevelopment of five separate buildings and focused on creative spaces and reclamation of the second story to make the projects cash flow. Their love for historic buildings shines through in their approach to their redevelopment and design. Aside from her development work, Stephanie is the founder of both Blue Willow Boutique and White Elm Mercantile, The Willow Lofts, and the co-founder of Black Pony Brewing Company, all of which are located in Downtown Maryville. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in public administration, and makes her home with Kent and their children, both human and fur.

Greg McDanel has served as the City Manager of Maryville, Missouri since 2012. McDanel had worked for the City of Independence, Missouri and served as the City Administrator of Cherryvale, Kansas prior to returning to Maryville as City Manager. McDanel is an ICMA-Credentialed Manager and received the 2016 Public Service Award from the Northwest Missouri State University Alumni Association. He serves as a Director for the International Town & Gown Association. McDanel was named one of the “50 Missourians You Should Know” and in the “40 Under Forty” 2020 class by Ingram’s Magazine.

Scott Sewell has been Director of the Kansas Main Street Program since October of 2019 when Gov. Laura Kelly reinstated the state program. Scott was the assistant director of the Kansas program in the mid 1990s before working with the Nebraska Main Street program and then as a consultant where he worked with countless communities and organizations throughout the country, primarily in the areas of market analysis, image/brand development and media relations. Scott earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Kansas State University in 1986. He was a city government reporter for the Manhattan (Kan.) Mercury newspaper after graduation, then became the Public Affairs Director for the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce where he was their chief lobbyist. For several years he was a member of the faculty for the Institute for Organizational Management, a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. His prior experiences also include time with two different university foundations where he led multiple annual-giving and other fund-raising campaigns. He enjoys music and is a freelance sports photographer for USA Today.

Jamie DeBacker is the Executive Director of Warrensburg Main Street. She started her journey in the Main Street world in 2019 as the Event Coordinator for her organization. Over the last five years, Jamie has continued to develop her knowledge and skills in Main Street. Being born and raised in Warrensburg, MO, she continues to build connections for her organization. Jamie’s degree in business administration and knowledge in marketing, social media and small business has helped strength her Main Street program and relationships in Downtown Warrensburg.

Liz Haynes was born and raised in downtown Cape Girardeau. During her childhood, her family owned and operated 3 downtown Cape businesses. After earning a Communications degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, she gained over 15 years of experience working in fundraising, alumni relations, community relations, event planning, media relations, and project management in higher ed and at both small and large non-profits in St. Louis. Before moving back to Cape in September 2019, Liz served as Regional Director for Washington University in St. Louis and worked in the New York City market. Liz was thrilled to return to Cape after 17 years of being away and has served as the Executive Director of Old Town Cape for five years.

Bernice Radle, Executive Director, Preservation Buffalo Niagara, works to identify, protect and promote the unique architecture and historic legacy in Western New York.   Bernice Radle is an urban planner, historic preservationist, and building science nerd. She believes that strong healthy neighborhoods are the key to a community’s successes. She also believes that neighborhood strength isn’t defined by how expensive the homes are; it is defined by how inclusive it is to all walks of life. She formerly served as Vice Chair of the City of Buffalo Zoning Board of Appeals, a faculty member of the incremental Development Alliance, and a VIP with the Buffalo’s Young Preservationists. She also works with Neighborhood Evolution that trains and builds the ecosystems needed to support small scale development.

Michael Donovan is Executive Director for the Missouri Arts Council. His responsibilities include coordinating the strategic plan, working with artists and arts organizations, and training and professional development for nonprofit arts organizations. Prior to joining the state arts council, he was the editor of a publication on fundraising events for nonprofits, directed a cultural center, and worked for a united arts fund. He has served on the board of community and arts organizations, been an avid volunteer for the arts, and worked for the arts for over 40 years. He received his Masters in Community Arts Management from the University of Illinois, Springfield and a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. He and his wife, Gwen, live in University City, MO, in the diverse Loop neighborhood.

Karon Majeel Hatchett is the community development specialist of the Missouri Arts Council, based in St. Louis. She primarily focuses on arts councils, creative arts districts, and creative placemaking in Missouri’s creative economy. She has been active for more than 30 years in the public and private sectors in Colorado and Missouri, as a convener, elections administrator, playwright, and community engagement advocate and organizer.

Chris Johnston has more than 25 years of experience in public accounting and the real estate industry. Previously with MarksNelson, she focused on helping owners and developers successfully complete their commercial real estate projects using tax credits — affordable housing (LIHTC), historic, new markets, brownfield, energy — providing financial models, cost certifications, audit and tax services, and consulting.

John currently serves as Chairman of the Historic Preservation committee, was the Past President of Downtown Washington, Inc., and is a Board member of the Historic Washington Foundation.

Karen Bode Baxter has worked for over 40 years as a preservation consultant on historic building renovation projects, historic tax credit applications, historic structures reports and National Register nominations all over the US. She worked for 7 years with historic downtown redevelopment programs connected with the National Main Street Center in Iowa and Oklahoma. She is a past president of Missouri Preservation and a Board Member of Missouri Main Street Connection.

Jamie DeBacker is the Executive Director of Warrensburg Main Street. She started her journey in the Main Street world in 2019 as the Event Coordinator for her organization. Over the last five years, Jamie has continued to develop her knowledge and skills in Main Street. Being born and raised in Warrensburg, MO, she continues to build connections for her organization. Jamie’s degree in business administration and knowledge in marketing, social media and small business has helped strength her Main Street program and relationships in Downtown Warrensburg.

Dr. Jon Burke, a longtime area educator, assumed the role of Executive Director of Downtown Alive! on July 5, 2023. The Burkes have lived in Blue Springs for 20 years, and Jon has been active in the community in a variety of roles, including youth coach (soccer, baseball, basketball), Boy Scout Chaplain (Troop 138), Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Blue Springs Family YMCA Community Board, Board of Adjustment, Stand-Up Blue Springs, LEADership Blue Springs. He currently serves as Vice Chair of the Parks Commission, Co-chair of the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce Legislative Task Force and is a parishioner at St. John LaLande Church. Dr. Burke most recently served as Dean of Student Services at MCC-Blue River, where he helped grow the campus, and support student success for the past 22 years. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Armstrong State College, a Master’s Degree in Higher Education from Florida State University and a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Georgia. He has worked in administrative positions in colleges in several states for 35 years. He is excited about his role with Blue Springs Downtown Alive, and has renewed optimism about revitalization efforts in downtown Blue Springs. Key to momentum in Blue Springs are partnerships and collaboration with the City of Blue Springs, Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce, Downtown merchants and community leadership.

Cara is the Assistant Director of Community Development with the City of Blue Springs and focuses’ her work on the City’s long-range planning efforts, including comprehensive planning, area plans and most recently the City’s newly adopted Downtown Master Plan. She has a diverse background of planning experience in long range and current planning and managing a variety of state and federal grants, including the City’s Community Development Block Grant Program. Her passion is for helping communities and specifically downtowns grow and thrive. Prior to joining the City of Blue Springs in August of 2022, she served as a planner for Northwest Iowa Planning and Development in Spencer, Iowa for 11 plus years and received her Bachelor of Community Regional Planning Degree for Iowa State University.

Cory is an Urban Planner and Senior Partner at RDG Planning & Design, a multi-disciplinary firm based in the Midwest. He has been involved in all phases of project development, from facilitating large events to producing graphics and publications. His plans and passion for communities have resulted in millions of dollars of new investment – both public and private funds, cited in academic studies, and honored by numerous awards for best plan and implementation. Bachelor of Community and Regional Planning, Iowa State University Master of Urban Studies, University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Maggie is a community builder. She founded Strong Consulting in 2016 to help organizations and communities think creatively and act strategically. A former economic development vice president and marketing executive, Strong has 20 years of experience in strategic planning, communications, and public engagement. As a former economic development vice president, Strong was responsible for business retention and attraction efforts, fundraising, marketing and public relations, planning, and facilitating relationships with public and private partners and organizations. As a consultant, Strong has worked with civic and nonprofit clients to research, develop, facilitate, and implement strategic plans, assessments, and marketing and communication plans. She has coached nonprofit executives and boards on how to be effective and impactful. She holds a bachelor’s degree in arts management and a master’s degree in business administration, both from Quincy University. Maggie is an expert facilitator, trained in the McNellis Compression Planning® methodology, and certified in Nonprofit Board Consulting through BoardSource. She brings authenticity, humor, and urgency to her work and a deep respect for all people.

Landscape Architect and Urban Planner with over 30 years of experience in the design of public spaces including gateways, wayfinding systems, plazas, streetscapes and parks.

A former teacher, college dean and consultant, Jim is now retired but is an accomplished artist and coppersmith, producing metalworks out of his studio in Canton, MO. He is also very active in the local community and Canton Main Street Association.

Nathan Rauh is an architect and developer with 30 years of experience in the design, real estate development, and construction industry. He has practiced architecture and worked as a developer with unique expertise in mixed-use, multi-family, and senior housing projects in urban and Main Street settings. Currently he leads Naismith-Allen, Inc., a boutique firm providing Planning, Development, Architecture, and Design services focused on infill, Main Street, Adaptive-use, and Historic Preservation projects.

Robert McLaughlin is the first and only Main Street Design Specialist at Kansas Main Street. He provides design services and does presentations on design to Main Streets across the State of Kansas. He graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in architecture. Upon graduation he worked for the internationally recognized design firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Architects in Pennsylvania for twelve years. Robert left BCJ to return to Kansas, started Mclaughlin Design Associates and began specializing in residential, sustainable, and historic architecture. Mr. McLaughlin has also spent time working in the Kansas State Historic Preservation Office as a Preservation Specialist.

Michael Donovan is Executive Director for the Missouri Arts Council. His responsibilities include coordinating the strategic plan, working with artists and arts organizations, and training and professional development for nonprofit arts organizations. Prior to joining the state arts council, he was the editor of a publication on fundraising events for nonprofits, directed a cultural center, and worked for a united arts fund. He has served on the board of community and arts organizations, been an avid volunteer for the arts, and worked for the arts for over 40 years. He received his Masters in Community Arts Management from the University of Illinois, Springfield and a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. He and his wife, Gwen, live in University City, MO, in the diverse Loop neighborhood.

Karon Majeel Hatchett is the community development specialist of the Missouri Arts Council, based in St. Louis. She primarily focuses on arts councils, creative arts districts, and creative placemaking in Missouri’s creative economy. She has been active for more than 30 years in the public and private sectors in Colorado and Missouri, as a convener, elections administrator, playwright, and community engagement advocate and organizer.

The Founder and CEO of Farmers Market Pros, for 16 years Catt Fields White developed and managed markets in San Diego County that still yield from $30,000 to more than $400,000 annually in unrestricted funds to those events’ affiliated business districts. At Farmers Market Pros she and her team provide online education and consulting to farmers market operators, farmers and vendors and produce an annual conference for market and event operators. She is a host of Tent Talk, the weekly farmers market podcast. Catt writes for publications and speaks at conferences and events worldwide, teaching market organizers and participants to make their operations stronger and encouraging emerging and evolving entrepreneurs and community organizations.

Co-Founder and Vice President of Canadian Farmers Markets, and association of market organizations, Christopher Quinlan is also a founding member of the World Farmers Markets Coalition. He worked to increase regional economic and food security as the manager of the Whistler Farmers’ Market for 8 years. A familiar face at farmers market conferences and online, he is the CEO of MarketWurks, providing technological solutions and consulting to markets throughout Canada and the US.

Stephanie Campbell Yount has led many lives, but “community champion” is her favorite. As an entrepreneur and Main Street board member, Stephanie has made supporting the revitalization of her hometown’s Main Street a passion project. Together with her husband Kent, they have taken on redevelopment of five separate buildings and focused on creative spaces and reclamation of the second story to make the projects cash flow. Their love for historic buildings shines through in their approach to their redevelopment and design. Aside from her development work, Stephanie is the founder of both Blue Willow Boutique and White Elm Mercantile, The Willow Lofts, and the co-founder of Black Pony Brewing Company, all of which are located in Downtown Maryville. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in public administration, and makes her home with Kent and their children, both human and fur.

Greg McDanel has served as the City Manager of Maryville, Missouri since 2012. McDanel had worked for the City of Independence, Missouri and served as the City Administrator of Cherryvale, Kansas prior to returning to Maryville as City Manager. McDanel is an ICMA-Credentialed Manager and received the 2016 Public Service Award from the Northwest Missouri State University Alumni Association. He serves as a Director for the International Town & Gown Association. McDanel was named one of the “50 Missourians You Should Know” and in the “40 Under Forty” 2020 class by Ingram’s Magazine.

David Doyle works for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 7 Kansas City Office and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from Syracuse University and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Health Engineering from the University of Kansas. David has been with EPA for over 40 years and has worked in many of EPA’s water, air, and hazardous waste programs as both staff and manager. He is presently EPA Region 7’s Land Revitalization Coordinator, where he assists local governments, EPA program staff, property owners, community leaders and others in applying direct technical assistance to sustainably redevelop brownfield properties. David also works as Region 7’s Disaster Recovery Coordinator where he assists communities impacted by natural disasters leading them to recover in a sustainable manner. David is a certified mediator for the Kansas City Area Federal Executive Board’s Shared Neutrals Mediation Program and the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Board of Commissioners Office of Community Complaints where he works to resolve conflicts between parties. He is a graduate of the Kansas City Urban League Leadership Development Program. David is also presently serving as President of his condominium’s home owners association.

Emily Blanton is an urban planner with 7 years of experience in community and economic development, environmental/open space/trail planning, and sustainable revitalization programs. Her support to EPA’s Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization over the last 5 years has involved direct technical assistance to cities and towns that face challenges in redeveloping blighted properties. She has helped these communities to assess and clean up contamination, develop site reuse visions, understand market economics, suggest transportation improvements, and implement actionable strategies for sustainable reuse. She has also supported several small area, neighborhood, and comprehensive planning efforts across city and community scales. She holds an M.S. in Urban and Regional Planning (University of Pennsylvania) and a B.S. in Environmental Science (University of Virginia).

Rachel Senzee is the Neighborhood Services Supervisor for the City of Jefferson. Neighborhood Services manages housing, historic preservation, federal initiatives, and sustainability programs. Ms. Senzee began working for Jefferson City in 2019 and has 14 years of experience in the fields of grants management, historic preservation, project management, and community engagement. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Southeast Missouri State University and a master’s degree in public history from the University of Arkansas – Little Rock.

Brian is a passionate advocate for thriving local communities who grew up in the charming Gold Rush town of Placerville, CA. As an MBA research project at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business, he sought to tackle “the local marketing problem”. As the founder and CEO of Locable, he is also the author of “Marketing 3-4-5™: The Business Owner’s Guide to Effective Local Marketing in 15-Minutes or Less.” Locable’s software powers nearly 200 local media websites, over a hundred Main Street Programs, and thousands of small businesses across the US. Brian and his family recently concluded a multi-year cross-country tour in which he taught Marketing 3-4-5™ to small businesses through workshops nationwide and now resides with his family of 7 in Middle Tennessee.

A native of Marceline, Missouri, DeAnn Davison fell in love with Maryville while attending Northwest Missouri State University. After deciding to call Maryville home, Davison was encouraged to become involved in the community and began her Main Street journey as an event volunteer. Over the years, her involvement in the organization grew and she was hired as the first executive director of Downtown Maryville in April 2022. Since that time, Davison has used her 20+ years of marketing and public relations experience to facilitate the Main Street Four-Point Approach for Downtown Maryville. Davison lives in Maryville with her husband Chris and two children, Charlotte and William.

Growing up in a tiny, northwest Missouri town, Autumn Quimby has always strived to make her community a better and brighter place. Autumn settled in Maryville with her husband and their four children in 2017 and saw a need for an outdoor farmers market during the pandemic. The market started with six vendors in 2020 and has since found its home in the downtown Maryville district, hosting around 30 homemade or homegrown vendors each weekend in the 2023 season. Autumn is now a member of the Downtown Maryville board, co-chair of the Downtown Maryville promotions committee and Downtown Maryville Market vendor coordinator, spending much of her time planning events for the community.

Ben Levenger is an AICP planner, registered landscape architect, and Certified Economic Developer. He is the president of Downtown Redevelopment Services, LLC, a planning firm specializing in assisting communities through comprehensive downtown planning and main street services. He has worked in over 30 states and consults for federal agencies on economic development best practices.

Liz Haynes was born and raised in downtown Cape Girardeau. During her childhood, her family owned and operated 3 downtown Cape businesses. After earning a Communications degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, she gained over 15 years of experience working in fundraising, alumni relations, community relations, event planning, media relations, and project management in higher ed and at both small and large non-profits in St. Louis. Before moving back to Cape in September 2019, Liz served as Regional Director for Washington University in St. Louis and worked in the New York City market. Liz was thrilled to return to Cape after 17 years of being away and has served as the Executive Director of Old Town Cape for five years.

Steven J. Hoffman, Ph.D. is a professor of history, director of the Bollinger Center for Regional History, and coordinator of the Historic Preservation program at Southeast Missouri State University where he teaches classes in Historic Preservation, Architectural History, and the Built Environment. He is a graduate of the National Main Street Center’s Certification Institute and has given numerous workshops and presentations on Main Street and Historic Preservation topics. He serves on the boards of Missouri Main Street Connection and Old Town Cape, a local Main Street organization. He earned a Master’s degree in Heritage Preservation from Georgia State University and a Ph.D. in History from Carnegie Mellon University.

Ryan Shrimplin is the City Planner for the City of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He has over 25 years’ experience in planning, zoning, and development. His career began in his home state of Ohio, where he worked for the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) while finishing his graduate education. After graduation, he accepted a position as a planner for the City of Centerville, Ohio, where he worked for several years. He later joined the architectural and engineering firm WD Partners, where he held various positions in planning, permitting, and development management. Ryan returned to public service in 2011, the year he started with the City of Cape Girardeau. As the City Planner, he oversees the operations of the City’s Planning Services Division. He provides staff support for the City Council, the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Historic Preservation Commission, and the Board of Adjustment. He also serves on the Old Town Cape Board of Directors and the Southeast Metropolitan Planning Organization (SEMPO) Technical Planning Committee. Ryan has a Bachelor of Environmental Design degree from Miami University (Ohio) and a Master of City and Regional Planning degree from Ohio State University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and the American Planning Association (APA), and he currently serves on the APA Missouri Chapter Board of Directors. Ryan resides in Jackson, Missouri with his wife and two children.

Caitlin has been a Program Director with Missouri Humanities since 2016, where she leads all digital humanities programming–hosting their podcast, producing film projects, managing their streaming service “Humanities TV”, and implementing their Small Town Showcase initiative. She is passionate about bringing the humanities to Missouri communities in ways that are applicable to their strengths and their needs, and showing how the humanities are an integral part of our everyday lives whether we know it or not!

Robert McLaughlin is the first and only Main Street Design Specialist at Kansas Main Street. He provides design services and does presentations on design to Main Streets across the State of Kansas. He graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in architecture. Upon graduation he worked for the internationally recognized design firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Architects in Pennsylvania for twelve years. Robert left BCJ to return to Kansas, started Mclaughlin Design Associates and began specializing in residential, sustainable, and historic architecture. Mr. McLaughlin has also spent time working in the Kansas State Historic Preservation Office as a Preservation Specialist.

Scott Sewell has been Director of the Kansas Main Street Program since October of 2019 when Gov. Laura Kelly reinstated the state program. Scott was the assistant director of the Kansas program in the mid 1990s before working with the Nebraska Main Street program and then as a consultant where he worked with countless communities and organizations throughout the country, primarily in the areas of market analysis, image/brand development and media relations. Scott earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Kansas State University in 1986. He was a city government reporter for the Manhattan (Kan.) Mercury newspaper after graduation, then became the Public Affairs Director for the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce where he was their chief lobbyist. For several years he was a member of the faculty for the Institute for Organizational Management, a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. His prior experiences also include time with two different university foundations where he led multiple annual-giving and other fund-raising campaigns. He enjoys music and is a freelance sports photographer for USA Today.

Bob became a professor of urban planning and development at Saint Louis University in the summer of 2018 after retiring from Development Strategies, a St. Louis-based planning and development consulting firm. The focus of Bob’s professional work is the analysis of the market, economic, and organizational forces that influence urban development and economic growth. At SLU, Bob teaches in the Master’s degree program for Urban Planning and Development. Bob continues to consult, as well, as director of the Community Planning Lab at Saint Louis University. A native of Glencoe, Illinois in the Chicago area, Bob has lived in the Clifton Heights neighborhood of St. Louis since 1977. He holds a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Southern Illi­nois University at Edwardsville (1976) and a bachelor’s degree in business economics from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (1973). He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners and is a Certified Economic Developer. Bob is the immediate past president of the Missouri Main Street Connection board of directors, co-chair of the St. Louis Vacancy Collaborative’s Vacancy Advisory Committee, and secretary of the Trailnet St. Louis board of directors.

William R. Emmons, PhD, has been speaking and writing about the economy, banking and bank regulation, financial markets, housing, household finance and economic policy for more than 30 years. Audiences have included economists, financial regulators,
bankers, financial and real-estate professionals, attorneys, engineers, public officials, educators, and the general public. His media exposure includes live interviews on national and local radio and television networks (NPR, PBS, Bloomberg Radio, Scripps
TV, local media outlets) and dozens of news articles highlighting his research (Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Bloomberg, Reuters, American Banker, Forbes, Time, etc.). Dr. Emmons advised three Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis presidents during his 27-year career at the St. Louis Fed. He also served as Lead Economist for the Bank’s Center for Household Financial Stability and for the Supervision, Credit and Learning Division. Dr. Emmons is president of the Gateway Chapter of the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) and serves as a board member of the Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC). Dr. Emmons holds a Ph.D. in Finance from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Randy Wilson is a nationally-renowned architect who established Community Design Solutions as a community-based design firm devoted to delivering creative, asset-based design services for community building and downtown revitalization. Mr. Wilson serves as the consulting architect to Mississippi Main Street and Main Street South Carolina. In 2023 Mr. Wilson was awarded the Sam Kaye Excellence in Design award to commemorate his lifetime achievement for design services provided to Mississippi Main Street. Mr. Wilson is also the Project Architect for Lake City, SC where he has facilitated the renovation of more than 40 facades and a downtown pocket park. In 2019, Lake City was named, “America’s #1 Small Town Cultural Scene,” by USA Today. To date he has participated in over 400 Main Street Resource Teams and design and planning exercises nationwide.