Myers named Executive of the Year

Aledo Main Street Program Director Pam Myers was named Executive of the Year at the Lt. Governor's Awards for Excellence in Downtown Revitalization during the 15th annual Illinois Main Street Conference Thursday, Nov. 13 in Decatur.

Myers award was one of five awards won by the Aledo Main Street at the conference.

Aledo Main Street also won in the categories for Organization (21st Century Communications), Promotion (Ladies on the Loose), economic restructuring (The Livermore brings More) and design (The Livermore-Dreaming bigger than most thought they should).

"These awards recognize the very best work by Illinois towns and cities to promote economic growth, tourism, historic preservation and civic democracy in their downtown business districts," said Lt. Governor Pat Quinn. "I am proud to salute these members of the Illinois Main Street Program for their efforts, and I know the good example they set will benefit communities throughout the Land of Lincoln."

At the ceremony 20 awards were presented in four categories.

This year's theme, "My Kind of Main Street," was chosen to showcase the diversity of Illinois' Main Street programs. Whether the population of the community is 700 or 150,000 they all contribute to Illinois Main Street's success across the state.

The United States Department of Agriculture recently gave a grant of more than $200,000 to help fund the Illinois Main Street Rural Development Initiative.

Illinois Main Street represents one of the state's most effective public-private partnerships for economic development and community renewal. Since the program's inception, designated communities have reported net gains of more than 1,600 new downtown businesses and created more than 6,000 new full and part-time jobs. The Main Street program has spurred the reinvestment of more than $575 million in Main Street downtowns.

Illinois is one of 40 states participating in the National Main Street program, administered through the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Lt. Governor's Office administers the Illinois Main Street program, now the fourth-largest in the nation, with architectural assistance from the Illinois Historical Preservation Agency. More than 60 communities participate in the Illinois Main Street program.

2008 winners of the Lt .Governor's Awards for Excellence in Downown Revializatio are:

Organization: Dwight Main Street - "Alumni Membership Campaign"; Aledo Main Street - "21st Century Communications": Genoa Main Street - "Dinner and a Movie"; Jacksonville Main Street - "New Life Project: The Pink Palace" and Main Street Momence - "Howdy Partner."

Promotion: Aledo Main Street - "Ladies on the Loose"; Downtown St. Charles Partnership - "Rockin' Block Party"; Pontiac P.R.O.U.D. - "TV Commercials";

Downtown St. Charles Partnership - "Make Tracks to 1st Street"; City Centre Decatur - "Shadows of Lincoln Festival."

Economic Restructuring: Aledo Main Street - "The Livermore Brings More"; Decatur City Centre - "Macon Ice Cream & More"; Jacksonville Main Street - "The Farmers State Bank & Trust Company"; Main Street Lincoln - "Pictures Worth a Thouusand Words and a Thousand Visits"; Waukegan Main Street - "Joplin's Java & Ragtime Café."

Design: Batavia Main Street - "Donovan Bridge Reconstruction"; Downtown Mt. Vernon Development Corporation - "The Rex-A Boutique Meeting & Banquet Facility"; Aledo Main Street - "The Livermore - Dreaming bigger than most thought they should"; Genoa Main Street - "The Wet Paint Project" and Jacksonville Main Street - "The Pink Palace."

Executive of the year: Pam Myers, Aledo Main Street