President’s Article: December

Happy Thanksgiving and happy holiday season. We all have so much to be Thankful for this year as Downtown continued to grow and investment, energy, and new people continued to come in. Some of us were new businesses and employees part of that growth and others were part of existing businesses that help set the stage and were figuring out how to thrive in this new landscape. All ships rise with the tide and with everything going on this year and next I know that will happen if it hasn’t already. The MDA for their part has had a big year of working with private businesses, public officials, and different organizations to make sure that how we grow and what we are doing are a positive path forward. Working on being a collective voice for what is happening and how we maintained the unique business culture that is Downtown Missoula.

This coming season, with continued construction and the Higgins Bridge getting close to being under way, will create some challenges for people coming downtown but I assure you that we are all working hard to be that voice. A voice that is preemptively working with MDT and city officials to do the best that we can to make it easier on everyone. The MDA puts on wonderful events to bring people downtown, hosts membership activities to bring people together, offers membership benefits like downtown gift cards; but the most important thing that the MDA does is act as a voice at countless meetings, city council meetings, and social events that represent us all to the best that we are able. We are all so busy that we don’t have time to be present at these dozens of important conversations that go on every week but we all have the MDA as that voice that is looking out for our Downtown, what it is and what it will become. Being close to this organization over the last year I know that the people involved are working hard to be the right voice.

Enjoy some turkey and joy that goes along with the holidays. But most importantly enjoy how lucky we all our to be part of such a great community surrounded by people who care.

See you Downtown,

Tom