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Jul 09, 2023

New Main Street coordinator named

Mount Airy has a new Main Street coordinator to replace Lizzie Morrison, who resigned earlier this year. The appointment of Morgan Johnson Vasquez, whose official title is executive director of the

Mount Airy has a new Main Street coordinator to replace Lizzie Morrison, who resigned earlier this year.

The appointment of Morgan Johnson Vasquez, whose official title is executive director of the group Mount Airy Downtown Inc., was announced Thursday afternoon by the board of directors for the organization.

That position was established in 2013 with the hiring of Morrison, and has involved aiding business growth in the downtown area along with numerous appearance projects.

After serving nearly 10 years, Morrison left at the end of April to become economic-development planner of the Piedmont Triad Region for the N.C. Department of Commerce, the agency that oversees the state Main Street program which includes Mount Airy.

Mount Airy Downtown (MAD) says in the announcement that it is pleased to welcome Vasquez, a former Spanish teacher in Mount Airy City Schools, into its operation.

“A native of Mount Airy, Morgan possesses an intimate understanding of the community’s unique attributes and potential needs,” it states.

“Bilingual in English and Spanish, she has a remarkable ability to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds and foster unity within our community,” the announcement adds.

“With her experience in community building and problem solving, Morgan brings a strong background and fresh perspective to MAD’s core mission of supporting economic development and vitality in our downtown district.”

The job vacancy drew much interest, according to Bryan Grote, the president of Mount Airy Downtown.

“Over two dozen applicants submitted their qualifications for the position, including several from outside North Carolina,” Grote said in a statement. “This resulted in a two-month review process culminating in the selection of Morgan Johnson Vasquez.”

She already has been involved in central business district affairs. This included an extracurricular role as a Mount Airy Downtown “super volunteer” in helping coordinate downtown events sponsored by city schools and agreeing to be the Latino community liaison for the downtown group.

In that capacity, Vasquez was instrumental in designing and executing a highly successful “Latino Friday” event series in the Market Street Arts and Entertainment District downtown which Morrison spearheaded during her tenure.

“The search committee was very impressed with Morgan’s knowledge of and interest in MAD’s commitment to economic development, historic preservation and community engagement,” Grote said.

“She also brings an impressive set of skills including education, design, marketing and management,” the Mount Airy Downtown president added.

“As an experienced professional who was born and raised in Mount Airy, we believe her skills and expertise align perfectly with the responsibilities and requirements of this position.”

Grote could not be reached Thursday for further comment.

Vasquez excited about role

The executive director’s responsibilities include coordinating activities within the Mount Airy Downtown Inc. revitalization program that utilizes historic preservation as an integral foundation for downtown economic development.

Facilitating the growth, conduct, execution and documentation of the nationally accredited local Main Street program also is involved.

Before assuming her new role, Vasquez was employed by Mount Airy City Schools in positions including multilingual learners instructor, Spanish teacher and dual language immersion program facilitator. She also has non-profit organizational management experience.

Bio information shows that Vasquez graduated from Meredith College in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, education and international studies. She also was a high school Spanish teacher at East Wake Academy in Zebulon from 2013 to 2015.

“It is an honor to be entrusted with the role of executive director of Mount Airy Downtown Inc.,” Vasquez said in a statement.

“I am committed to working closely with all of our downtown business and property owners, community members and stakeholders to further enhance our economic vitality and help create an even stronger economic engine for both Mount Airy and Surry County.”

In addition, Vasquez mentioned that she is assuming her new position with enthusiasm and determination and is excited about engaging with the downtown community to help shape its future.

Vasquez could not be reached Thursday for comment about what she considers the top priorities for the Main Street coordinator position.

In recent years, this has focused on helping to redevelop the former Spencer’s textile mill property, with a Marriott hotel the most recent effort there.

The Mount Airy Downtown Inc. board leadership, meanwhile, is confident that the new director’s “exceptional” skills, local knowledge and deep passion for community development will be tremendous assets in advancing its shared goals.

Tom Joyce may be reached at 336-415-4693 or on Twitter @Me_Reporter.