Leader of a downtown program in Washington state to become next director of Downtown Lawrence Inc.

A leader of a downtown program in Washington state will become the new executive director of Downtown Lawrence Inc.

Andrew Holt, the former director of the Downtown Association of Yakima, Washington, will begin April 10 as the next leader of Lawrence’s nonprofit downtown association.

“He brings a wealth of experience and a refreshing perspective to our downtown,” Mike Logan, vice president of Downtown Lawrence Inc., said in a press release.

Board members said Holt’s understanding of how business associations work and an appreciation for the unique issues facing downtowns set him apart from other candidates for the position.

“For me it’s a great opportunity,” Holt told the Yakima Herald-Republic on Thursday. “It’s a classic downtown, it’s a classic college town. The downtown has a lot of potential, but it’s also well-established.”

Holt was hired in 2017 and served as Yakima’s first downtown director, according to the Herald-Republic report.

Yakima is a community of about 100,000 people, in a metro area with about 250,000. It is about 60 miles from popular tourist destination Mount Rainer and is in a region full of agritourism, breweries and wineries.

In addition to his time in Yakima, Holt also has been involved in various main street programs, including in Walla Walla, Washington.

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