By: John E. Settle Jr. • Editor • Focus SB News
A search committee of three members of the Shreveport Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and two members of the Downtown Shreveport Development Corporation will soon review the 15 applicants for the DDA Executive Director position.
The search committee established a job description before posting the position. Here are pertinent provisions:
"The Ideal candidate will have prior experience working in a downtown development organization in a comparable size municipality. Additionally, experience with commercial real estate and development, planning and zoning, and coordinating events is beneficial.
The Executive Director is responsible for budget preparation and oversight, work plan development and implementation, maintaining and fostering positive relationships with downtown partners that include but are not limited to businesses, property owners, developers, public and elected officials, the media, and general public."
The job posting includes "Ideal Candidate Qualifications"; here are the first three:
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field: MBA or other advanced degree preferred
- Minimum 5 years of executive management, business, or leadership experience
- Experience in downtown management profession preferred.
The Executive Director oversees a budget of approximately $1.6 million and fourteen employees.
A quick look at the 15 applicants reveals that none come close to the excerpts of the posted job description. Specifically, none have experience in downtown management. Very few meet the educational and/or executive management/business/leadership criteria:
1. Lauren Ray Anderson is a local attorney but no executive management/leadership experience and no downtown management experience.
2. Adam B. Bailey has advanced degrees in Landscape Architecture and Community Planning but no executive management/business/leadership experience or downtown management experience.
3. Penney Marie Bennett as a finance degree but no executive management/leadership experience or downtown management experience.
4. Guy A. Fortt has a master’s degree in Sports Management & Entertainment but no executive management/leadership experience or downtown management experience.
5. Levette Fuller has a Bachelor of Arts but no executive management/business experience or downtown management experience. (Her service on the Shreveport City Council for four years with downtown in her district does not offset her deficiencies in meeting the primary job requirements).
6. Amy Galien has a Bachelor of Science Education Studies but no executive management/business/leadership experience or experience in downtown management.
7. Cedric Glover does not have a college degree and he does not have any business experience or any experience in downtown management. (His service as city councilman, Shreveport mayor and state legislator does not offset his deficiencies in meeting the primary job requirements).
8. Antiska Harris has an associate nursing degree but no executive management/leadership or downtown management experience.
9. Tamika Hayden has an MPA degree but no executive management/business/leadership experience and no downtown management experience.
10. Charles L. Huston has a psychology degree but no executive management/business/leadership experience or downtown management experience.
11. Deanna Kalmbach has a business degree but no executive management/leadership experience or downtown management experience.
12. Adam Lopez has a science degree but no business/leadership experience or downtown management experience.
13. Jonathan Christopher Roberson has a law degree and an MPA but no executive
management/business/leadership experience or downtown management experience.
14. Phillip M. Smart has an MPA but no executive management/leadership experience and no downtown management experience.
15. Brittany Turner has a master’s degree in library and informational studies and an MPA degree but no executive management/business/leadership experience and no downtown management experience.
The search committee is to render a report to the DDA board on the candidates at its meeting on April 24.