Gaila Gutierrez has been hired as the new new executive director of the Kent Downtown Partnership (KDP).
Gutierrez succeeds retiring Barbara Smith, who will stay on the job in June to help with the transition.
“I am confident that Ms. Gutierrez will bring with her new ideas and help the (KDP) Board to make great strides in reaching their new goals for 2019 and beyond,” Smith said in a news release. “The city of Kent and the downtown are going to really enjoy working with her. I feel I am leaving the downtown in competent hands, and that is important to me.”
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A KDP Board hiring committee, led by Greg Haffner, chose Gutierrez from a group of candidates.
Gutierrez worked as interim director for the Downtown Issaquah Association, with which she also served as an events planner in previous years. She was a program manager and events director for MotoSoul USA, worked for the city of Seatac Economic and Community Development Department and worked as the major development and business manager for the city of Issaquah.
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