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6 The Courier sun • SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com Executive director of Sutphin Boulevard BID steps down BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@queenscourier.com/@AngelaMatua Simone Price, executive director of the Sutphin Boulevard Business Improvement District (BID), stepped down from her role last week to take a job at the MTA. Price, who has acted as executive director for seven years, led a number of initiatives to revitalize storefronts Simone Price (inset), director of the Sutphin Boulevard BID, stepped down to take a job with the MTA. BUY DIRECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER FREE Measuring & Installation w/purchase of $100. with this ad. • Draperies • Vertical Blinds • Honeycomb Shades • Custom Window Shades • Mini Blinds Nobody Beats Our Prices! • Roman Shades • Balloon Shades • Swags & Jabots • Shutters • Upholstery • Radiator Covers • Table Pads UP TO 70% OFF LIST PRICE Free Interior Design Consultation $20 OFF with purchase of $200 or more *Not to be combined w/other offers. Expires 9/18/15 $50 OFF with purchase of $500 or more *Not to be combined w/other offers. Expires 9/18/15 $100 OFF with purchase of $1,000 or more *Not to be combined w/other offers. Expires 9/18/15 GOMER’S SINCE 1962 Window Treatments FREE SHOP AT HOME SERVICE SERVING QUEENS AND LONG ISLAND 1.800.522.6156 www.gomersdecorators.com Inset courtesy of LinkedIn/Photo by Liam La Guerre FALL INTO JCAL FREE Open House! Come enjoy an afternoon of hands-on arts & crafts, challenge your creative-self at our open house! Saturday, September 12th 12:00 - 5:00 pm • Arts & Crafts • Free Classes • Raffle • Face Painting • Refreshments On-site Registration Check www.jcal.org for class schedule. 161-04 Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica NY 11432 718-658-7400 x123 info@jcal.org • www.jcal.org Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning and attract new businesses to Jamaica. She will become the assistant director of government and community relations at the MTA starting on Sept. 8. Price said this was her second job out of college and that she jokingly tells people that she “grew up in this role,” as she learned marketing, retail attraction, managing day-to-day operations, urban planning and economic development in her tenure. One of her favorite projects included the upgrade of five storefront facades, which was made possible by a $95,000 grant from the city’s Small Business Services department (SBS). Her work, which has included helping existing retailers to improve their businesses and proving to prospective retailers that Jamaica is a viable place to operate a business, has led to strong relationships, she said. “I’m really passionate about this work and worked really hard to make sure that their needs are met and quality of life is improved as a result of my work in the BID and the mission of the BID,” Price said. Her Adopt-a-Family program is also a highlight of her career, she said, because she created a “sense of community and family” with the five-year program. Business owners are encouraged to donate toys, clothes and shoes to children in shelters and foster care centers across Queens. The program supports more than 100 families in need. Though the BID has not found a new director, Price hopes that her replacement continues expanding the programs she established and also “taps into some of the areas that perhaps they have more of an expertise in.” Price said the organization has a greater number of resources and grants available to them, which will allow the new director to hire more staff and leverage the growing popularity of the organization and the increasing real estate development in downtown Jamaica. “Maybe they’ll think about expanding the boundaries once the development takes place” and “getting better quality retail in place and systems where you can quantify the services that are taking place… in terms of spending power, buying power in the area and the number of people that are coming here to shop,” Price said. The BID represents 134 businesses between Hillside and 94th Avenues and is funded by a special tax assessment paid for by property owners in the district. To apply for the executive director position, visit www.sutphinblvdbid.org.


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