The Santa Barbara Downtown Organization (DO) has announced its 2011 Officers. Mark Whitehurst, publisher of CASA Magazine will serve as President; Dave Lombardi of FastFrame, Vice President; Gene McKnight, Vice President of Pacifica Commercial Realty, Treasurer; and Bill Duval, of the Law Office of William Duval, will serve as Secretary of the 1,400 member organization. The officers were elected at a board retreat held in January.
Mark Whitehurst PhD, is the owner and has been the publisher of CASA Magazine for the past 17 years. Dr. Whitehurst has served on the DO board since 2005. CASA Magazine was named Citizen of the Year by the DO in 2007. He is the past president of Santa Barbara Beautiful and continues to serve as a board member. Kerry Methner, his partner and wife, and he received the 2011 Leadership in the Arts Award from the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission.
Gene McKnight, Vice President, Pacifica Commercial Realty has worked in the local commercial real estate industry since 1985. Gene has served with the Downtown Organization since 2004, served on various DO committees, and was named the DO’s George Girth Volunteer of the Year in 2006. He is also a member of the City of Santa Barbara Downtown Parking Advisory Committee as well as participates with several local charity organizations. Gene is married to Darcie McKnight and has four children. He is an avid sports fan and is a graduate of Auburn University.
The Downtown Organization is a membership-driven, non-profit organization whose goal is to maintain and enhance the business and cultural activity in the downtown area. Helping keep downtown Santa Barbara clean, attractive, safe and vibrant goes towards supporting this goal. Presently, there are over 1,400 members who benefit from the Downtown Organization’s commitment to excellence and its ongoing efforts on their behalf. Some of the programs, activities and events sponsored by the Downtown Organization include the Downtown Holiday Parade, the Downtown Art & Wine Tour, the decorative State Street Flag Program, Downtown Host Program, 1st Thursday, epicure.sb: a month to savor santa barbara and Downtown Safe Trick-or-Treat.