Board member hired by neighboring program

[Main Street Milton]

Main Street Milton members and friends:

Main Street Milton is pleased to announce that board member Ryan Arvay
has ben hired as the Crestview Main Street Association's new program
manager. As you may remember, Ryan was chosen as last year's
Outstanding Local Florida Main Street Program of the Year by the
Florida Department of State.

Main Street Milton congratulates Ryan on his accomplishment and wishes
him well in his new position.

Please find below an article from the Crestview News Bulletin
regarding Ryan's new position.



From the "Crestview News Bulletin"
New Crestview Main Street director selected
By Brian Hughes | bri...@crestviewbulletin.com
2011-01-04 10:02:14

After reviewing more than 50 applications from throughout the state, a
committee tasked with finding a new Main Street Crestview Association
director selected the former president of Main Street Milton out of a
field of five finalists.

Ryan Arvay, a recent recipient of Main Street Florida’s “Most
Outstanding Local Volunteer” award, assumed the position on Jan. 3.
His appointment assures the Crestview program’s accreditation remains
secure. To remain accredited, MSCA must have a full-time paid
director.

When previous director Bill Kilpatrick left upon the elimination of
his position from the city’s payroll, the association scrambled to
fund and find a replacement. MSCA secretary/treasurer Cindy Harris
served as interim director during the search. She resigned from the
board effective Dec. 31.

Cal Zethmayr, chairman of the committee that conducted the director
search, praised Arvay’s accomplishments, including leading the
campaign to preserve the WPA-era Marquis Bayou Bridge and several
historic Milton buildings, including some damaged in a 2009 fire.

During his interview, Arvay was already enthusiastic about taking
Crestview’s Main Street program to the next level while preserving
downtown’s heritage and character, Zethmayr said.

“The first thing he did when he came in and sat down, he immediately
said, ‘Tell me about that brick building (the Alatex Building)
downtown. Tell me about the Fox Theatre. How can we get that
reopened?’” Zethmayr said. “During our interview we were impressed by
his passion for historic preservation and the value of the small towns
of northwest Florida.”

“I love historic downtowns,” Arvay said on his first day on the job.
“A traditional downtown is vital to a community, and they’re
disappearing. Crestview has a historic, traditional Main Street. No
designer or developer can really recreate authenticity and Crestview
has authenticity. There’s room for improvement but there’s great
potential.”

Arvay’s salary during his first year is being funded by a one-year
$38,000 Community Redevelopment Agency allocation.

“Hopefully when we go back to the CRA next year, we will get a longer
term contract renewal,” Zethmayr said when presenting his committee’s
recommendation to the MSCA board.

The position was advertised to all Florida Main Street member cities,
at JobsPlus, through the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce and
through the city of Crestview. Zethmayr said his committee received 53
applications from throughout the region and one from as far away as
Cape Coral. Arvay lives near Holt.

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