A community leader and Bloomfield business owner with 20 years experience in education, management, sales, marketing, customer service and business development, Owens received an MS Ed from Duquesne University in Education/Instructional Technology and a B.S. from Clarion University in Business Administration/Marketing.
A member of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s Blue Ribbon Economic Development Committee, Owens also earned a Paralegal Certificate from Pennsylvania State University.
Since becoming executive director of the BDC in 2009, Owens has secured the organization’s 501(c)(3) status, prepared by-laws, raised $45,000 in grant funds, implemented Liberty Avenue streetscape improvements, and assisted with restructuring the Baum/Centre Initiative. Additional priorities for Owens include participating in the West Penn Community Partnership, collaborating with East End Partners and Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development on new funding opportunities, and convening developers and stakeholders to build a new senior living center.
Prior to becoming executive director of the BDC, Owens served as Mainstreet Manager for the Bloomfield Business Association (BBA), and adjunct faculty member with Robert Morris University’s School of Business. Among Owens’ accomplishments as Mainstreet Manager of the BBA are: developing a strategic Business District Action Plan, increasing membership by 15%, assisting local businesses with façade improvement grants, and receiving more than $200,000 in grant money for neighborhood development.
From 1991 to 2007, Owens was owner and operator of Bloomfield Jewelry located in the heart of the neighborhood at 4806 Liberty Avenue.
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The Bloomfield Development Corporation has been designated as an accredited National Main Street Program for meeting the commercial district revitalization performance standards set by the National Trust Main Street Center. Each year, the National Trust and its partners announce the list of accredited Main Street programs that have built strong revitalization organizations and demonstrate their ability in using the Main Street Four-Point Approach methodology for strengthening their local economy and protecting their historic buildings.
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Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced the creation of the City’s first-ever Civic Leadership Academy, a free 10-week course designed to educate residents about local government in the City of Pittsburgh.
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The office of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl would like to invite you to join him and staff at three community meetings scheduled in July detailed below. The purpose of the meetings is to hear community questions and concerns regarding the parking system monetization proposal. All businesses are encouraged to attend one of these meetings.
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The Mayor issued the proposed outlines of a 50-year lease agreement today. Below are charts from his plan that show the rate increases for parking garages and street meters.
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Dr. Olivia and Board Chair David McClenahan announced this morning significant changes that will be made at West Penn Hospital and the West Penn Allegheny Health System. The link below will take you to the WPAHS website which will provide details.
Please visit West Penn Hospital’s website for all of the latest information.
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The Bloomfield Development Corporation is pleased to announce its newest staff member, Terry Aiello, as Mainstreet Manager.
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I would like to ask your help to raise funds for the Memorial Statue for the three fallen police officers that is being planned for the front of St. Joseph Church. I have applied for a grant through the Pepsi Refresh Project. This is a Pepsi grant program that anyone can log into to vote for ideas. Our submission was accepted on May 1 and we have all this month to vote. Funding is awarded by popular vote. Ten ideas in each funding category are approved every month. Here’s what to do:
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Congratulations to Lynn Rosen, the winner of the $800.00 prize in the Valentine’s Day Raffle.
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I was attending a wedding in Las Vegas earlier in the month and was reading the Las Vegas Sun that was delivered to the hotel on Sunday. There was an article about the challenges Las Vegas is facing with their main industry, tourism, declining. Imagine my surprise when the article referenced Pittsburgh as the example they wanted to follow:
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Thanks to the following for helping to make the 2009 festival happen.
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