ALBEMARLE — Katie Lynn, Albemarle’s new Main Street manager, began her full-time role in the position on Monday.
Albemarle City Manager Todd Clark announced in a Feb. 24 press release that the city had promoted Lynn from her interim managerial position that she held since December.
Lynn will serve as the director of the Albemarle Downtown Development Corporation (ADDC) non-profit, where she will lead efforts to advocate for the city’s historic downtown district.
She will also be responsible in her role for leading events and bringing in economic development efforts to support the continued growth of the downtown Albemarle area.
“I am thrilled to continue serving the city of Albemarle and Albemarle Downtown in this capacity,” said Lynn, who also has experience as Albemarle’s administrative and events coordinator for the city’s downtown development office. “I look forward to working alongside downtown businesses, community members, and stakeholders to foster growth through events, fundraisers, beautification projects, and economic development initiatives.”
Lynn is an active volunteer on a local level, contributing to the Daughters of the American Revolution and the America250 NC Stanly County Committee; she holds prior experience working for an autism nonprofit in Columbia, MO, as well as with Major League Baseball’s nonprofit in New York, NY.
Now in her new full-time role, Lynn becomes Albemarle’s first Main Street manager since former manager Joy Almond finished up her role with the city following the downtown Christmas Parade on Dec. 14.
Last November, Almond announced that she was stepping down from her job with the Albemarle Downtown Development Corporation after nearly a decade to accept a position as a Main Street program specialist for the North Carolina Main Street program, which is a division of the NC Department of Commerce.
During her time leading the non-profit, she assisted in fundraising efforts for various projects, economic stimulus grants, and property upkeep through donations, grants, and event planning for the Stanly County Winter Wine Festival, Holiday Tour of Homes, Outdoorsman’s Bonanza, Fall Festival, and multiple Christmas events.
The city of Albemarle is a NC Main Street community that is designated by the NC Department of Commerce Main Street and Rural Planning Center, while the ADDC is a non-profit focused on carrying out the Main Street program at the local level. Through economic development, the program aims to seek the measurable outcomes of investment, business growth, and job creation.
More information about the ADDC is available at albemarledowntown.com.