EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HEATHER HOELL
 

Heather A. Hoell has been hired as the new Executive Director of the Alliance of Portland Neighborhood Business Associations (APNBA).

"Small and neighborhood businesses are the backbone of Portland's economy," said Portland Mayor Sam Adams. "I look forward to Heather's leadership in making APNBA an even more valuable resource for Portland's business districts."

The APNBA was created in 1985 as an alliance of the 35+ business district associations (BDAs) in Portland, Oregon. BDA members are the merchants, property owners, and employees in the commercial districts surrounding the downtown. BDA’s support and promote their commercial areas. The APNBA provides technical, financial and marketing support to BDA’s to assist them in becoming bigger, stronger and richer.

“Heather brings a tremendous amount of experience to Portland,” said APNBA President Justin Zeulner. “She will be a key driver towards supporting thriving business districts, local economic development and eminent livable communities.”

       

See Summer Events for a continually updated list of events sponsored by Portland's many business district associations.

APNBA AGENDA 2010-2011

APNBA's focus for the next two years will be: 

• BDA Organizational Development:
• Event marketing and other marketing/publicity.

The APNBA is an alliance of the 35+ business district associations (BDAs) in Portland, Oregon. BDA members are the merchants, property owners, and employees in the commercial districts surrounding the downtown. BDAs support and promote their commercial area. APNBA's support includes: 

• Managing the annual BDA Grant Program.
• Helping associations organize and revitalize.
• Providing training and education through conferences and seminars.
• Providing a forum for discussion.
• Maintaining communication among the small business owners as well as between small business and the government.
• Advocating for BDAs or their members to the city, county, and state.
• Participating on policy making boards and committees city-wide and reporting on government activity that affects the districts.  

Strong, active business district associations are the glue that hold neighborhoods together, giving them the distinctive identities that characterize Portland. Many of them serve the functions of a small town, offering the services and providing space for public interaction and community celebration. The well-organized business district association can be the business voice of this "micro-village" to the surrounding municipalities.

The APNBA is proud to have received        recognition for our sustainability efforts.