Porsche named Downtown Bend Biz Assn. director

The Downtown Bend Business Association announced Tuesday its chosen Rod Porsche as its new executive director.

Porsche succeeds longtime director Chuck Arnold, who held the position since 2006 and is moving on to a new role as the city of Redmond’s economic development and urban renewal coordinator.

In its’ announcement, the DBBA said, “Rod comes to Downtown Bend with a proven track-record of work in tourism and downtown management in Albany, Oregon for the last four years.”

“I’m incredibly excited to be joining the Downtown Bend Business Association and look forward to working with the dynamic group of independent businesses in downtown Bend.” Porsche said.

Jim Petersen, DBBA board member, said, “We had 68 applicants from over half a dozen states and are pleased to find such a great fit with Rod. We believe Rod has the qualities necessary to continue the positive momentum of the DBBA and Downtown Bend overall,”

The executive director oversees many functions of helping keep downtown vibrant. The position entails multiple components that work together to drive business downtown including beautification, marketing, and events.

The executive director works with property and business owners to help match tenants, the city of Bend to develop business friendly policies, and the community to ensure that downtown Bend remains our celebrated community center.

The DBBA is a private, nonprofit organization representing approximately 350 businesses and 85 property owners working to keep Downtown Bend vibrant. The organization is responsible for downtown beautification, cleaning and maintenance, marketing, events, and keeping the business environment healthy. More information is available at DowntownBend.org.