RiverCenter appoints Challenger’s replacement
By linda denicola
Staff Writer

The choice has been made and the job offer accepted for the position of executive director of RiverCenter, the corporation that manages Red Bank’s Special Improvement District.

The new appointee, Mary Barr, 34, replaces Tracy Challenger, who served as RiverCenter’s director for the past five years. Challenger, whose baby is due in December, stepped down to become a full-time mother.

November is a big month for Barr. Along with beginning her new job on Nov. 20 and leaving her present job on Nov. 3, she is getting married on Nov. 11 and moving from Pennsylvania to New Jersey after her honeymoon in Bermuda.

She will not only have to learn a new job, but she will have to learn to answer to a new name. "By the time I start my new job, I’ll be Mary Mann," she said.

According to Ingeborg Perndorfer, chairwoman of RiverCenter’s board of directors, the selection committee waded through 25-35 résumés. The nationwide job announcement produced qualified candidates from as far away as Oregon, Florida and Nevada.

Barr, who is from Philadelphia, stood out, according to Perndorfer. Once the full board interviewed her, it was unanimous in its agreement that she was the best candidate for the position.

The five-member selection committee was made up of four board officers, Perndorfer, Anna Gaffney, Bud Natelson and Robin Fitzmaurice, as well as board appointee Mark VanWagner.

"She has the exact experience we need," Perndorfer said. "She comes from a larger situation in Philadelphia. She has political savvy and has worked with retail retention. She’s done holiday festival events and was involved with streetscape improvement projects."

Challenger said last month that the minimum requirement for the job is three years’ experience in a related field like urban renewal, urban planning or public administration. "But," she added, "the most important element in choosing a director should be the ability to relate to the people in town."

Barr, who said she loves community development work, should have no trouble doing that. She has been the director/manager of membership services at the Central Philadelphia Development Corp. for the past three years, and has overseen membership development, administration, communications and programming.

She has assisted in government relations and policy planning for the top business leadership organization, a business improvement district called Center City District. She has had responsibility for programming special events and business meetings, directing research projects, monitoring development projects, speaking at public events, writing and editing three newsletters and various brochures, performing public relations duties, grant writing, and fund raising.

The development corporation focuses on advocacy, public policy, planning and research, Barr explained. "The BID does a lot of the hard-core physical stuff.

"Philadelphia has a similar program to Red Bank’s. We did a bond issue for street improvements and facade improvements, but unfortunately it is not ongoing like RiverCenter’s program."

Prior to her position as communications and management person for the business improvement district, she worked as an editor, marketing writer and senior research assistant for a trade publication that covered business improvement districts.

Barr said she heard about the director’s position when she received an e-mail listing from the Council for Urban Economic Development, a national organization based in Washington, D.C. "I had known about Red Bank because I had a friend who had moved there a year ago. I also have a friend who grew up in Asbury Park.

"I knew Tracy’s name from being in the industry. RiverCenter has always had an excellent reputation. It is at the top of the industry, so I knew of the program."

Unfortunately, Barr will not be living in the area. After her marriage she is moving to her future husband’s house in Maplewood.

"It would be wonderful to be able to live in the community, but we can’t afford that right now, and Erik has an office in Liberty Corners. I don’t know what the future will bring.

"For now, it’s a 45 minute drive," Barr said. "It’s doable."

Perndorfer said that the board was aware of Barr’s need to live in Maplewood, "But we wanted her. We’re hoping that she moves here after awhile."

Barr, who was in town last Friday, spent time with Challenger. She also has been visiting various Red Bank Web sites.

"Right now I want to be a sponge absorbing everything. My impression right now is to keep the successful district on track. Right now I want to listen and learn," she said.

"I’ve already heard about the parking problems. It seems to be a universal problem. I’ll see what the elected officials are doing."