Community Connect: Katie Cheslock, Centreville Main Street Executive Director
by Sheila Duncan
Meet the Heart of Centreville Main Street: Our Executive Director in the Spotlight!
As many of you know, Centreville Main Street is actively working to revitalize our uptown district, and with a new director on board, exciting changes are on the horizon. I had the pleasure of interviewing Katie Cheslock, the new Director, to learn more about her vision and plans for Centreville Main Street. Here’s what Katie had to share.
“My name is Katie Cheslock and I am the Executive Director for Centreville Main Street. I have a passion for nonprofits and community development. My favorite hobbies include photography and spending time outdoors. I have two rescue dogs, Trixie and Nico. I was born in Snellville, GA and grew up in Chelsea, AL. I am a graduate of the University of Montevallo, with a degree in Business Administration in Management and a Minor in Non-Profit Studies. My biggest supporters are my family members: my mom (Melissa) and stepdad (Frank), my dad (Lee) and stepmom (Dina) and sister (Ayden) and brother (Drew). My mom is a Speech Language Pathologist who works for the University of Montevallo as the Clinic Director for the Department of Communication Science and Disorders and my dad is a Persian Gulf War Veteran, who served as a Navy Corpsman with the U.S. Marines.”
What is your vision for Centreville Main Street over the next five years? “Right now, we are laying the foundation for a successful Main Street with thriving businesses, restored historic buildings and family friendly community events. It is my goal to have each currently vacant store front in Uptown Centreville filled within the next five years with thriving businesses.”
How would you foster community engagement and encourage local businesses to participate in Main Street programs?
“Successful Main Street Programs benefit everyone in and around its community, that is why it is important to get so many different constituent groups involved, residents, property owners, schools, business owners, etc. Identifying those groups and aligning our shared goals/visions for Centreville is something my board and I are prioritizing right now. It is important to host community events that appeal to a variety of different people so that it gives everyone a chance to get involved in their community. Community involvement will rise as people begin to see noticeable/physical changes in our Business District, that is why we are so excited about the Façade Improvement Grant Program that we just launched. We know this will spur interest and excitement from the community. This will also allow vacant buildings to get facelifts to help attract new businesses.”
What experience do you have with fundraising and securing grants for community projects?
“I have over six years of non-profit experience, as an employee, intern and volunteer. My experience includes marketing, community relations and community outreach, including fundraising and awareness events. I have previously worked with several local dog rescues and animal shelters, the Boys and Girls Club of Alabama and the Arc of Shelby County. I am currently working on building my experience in grant writing, as this is a big interest of mine and a necessity for my position.”
How would you diversify funding sources to ensure the financial stability of Centreville Main Street programs?
“A sizable percentage of a Main Street’s funding comes from the city it operates in and local business owners. This is why it is important to always be transparent and focused on strengthening the relationships we have with our local leaders. We will have at least two big fundraising events a year, our New Years Eve Eve and Cahaba River Crawl, both of which have been fun and positive. Our smaller community events will be more focused on getting Centreville Main Street’s name out there and getting people excited about our progress. These events spur community involvement but donations from Centreville residents/families is crucial too because everything Centreville Main Street does is for the people of our area, to help provide a better place to live, work, shop and socialize. People know that their donations go directly towards something that will benefit them. We also are applying for grants to help fund larger projects and programs.”
What marketing strategies would you use to promote Centreville Main Street as a vibrant and attractive destination?
“I would like to focus on our central location, environmental resources and historic small-town charm. To me, Centreville is perfectly located, just a short drive from three of Alabama’s largest cities. We have one of the most biodiverse river systems in our backyard that brings travelers from all over to come and visit. And our historic court square and business district has the potential to provide a great welcoming atmosphere to visitors. This is why we launched our Façade Improvement Grant Program when we did.”
Describe your leadership style. How do you inspire and manage your team?
“I would classify my leadership style as Servant Leadership. I feel like this leadership style is best for this position. I love to help others; I live to serve people, and I try to help everyone that I can. I also will not ask a board member or volunteer to do anything that I would not do myself. This leadership style, in my opinion, yields the most involvement from board and volunteers because they see that I care and love what I do.
How would you build and maintain a strong working relationship with the board of directors? I do this by creating a close and unique relationship with each one and having a flexible schedule to meet when they are available. I also try to regularly schedule time to spend with each one of my board members to help increase involvement, get feedback and discuss new ideas or passion projects of theirs. Each one aided in us getting our designation and are on this board for a reason. They all believe in the future growth of our city, and I want them to know they are appreciated. From day one, they have all been there to help make sure I have everything I need to succeed in this role. I truly mean it when I say I have the best Board of Directors.”
What motivates you to work in the Main Street revitalization field?
“I think back to when I was growing up, I always wished we had a “main street” or historical district full of different shops and family friendly activities. I also like the variety each day brings, and I love knowing I am helping to restore a once thriving business district.
How do you stay updated with the latest trends and best practices in community development and urban planning? The main ways I like to stay up to date is with best practices in community / economic development and urban planning are through annual conferences, research and building relationships with other Main Street communities across the State and Country. Main Street Alabama has an excellent network of professionals that are always eager to help and provide advice.”
What do you hope to learn or achieve in this role that you haven’t in your previous positions?
“I am actively working to increase my knowledge of grant writing. This is something I do not have much experience in right now. My first grant application got approved earlier this month which was very exciting, but I have long way to go. I have learned a lot since I first started, and I am excited for all there is to come. I have truly love what I do, and I am excited for people to see.”
“Exploring your community allows you to uncover its hidden gems and forge meaningful connections with your neighbors.” Thank you, Katie Cheslock, for taking the time to answer our questions so that we may get to know you and your family on a more personal level.
