Jason Cannon To Step Down As DGI President & CEO

"As Chairman of the Board of DGI, I am announcing that our President and CEO, Jason Cannon, is stepping down to pursue an opportunity in one of his areas of expertise, Legislative and Economic Development Consulting. Mr. Cannon has served DGI and the City of Greensboro in his capacity since 2013 and has stewarded DGI through a period of significant transition, as requested by the Greensboro City Council and DGI’s Board of Directors, to focus substantially more of DGI’s efforts and resources on the growth and development of Downtown.  This process began with the creation of our current strategic plan supporting that new focus and a restructuring of DGI’s Board of Directors. In addition to transitioning Downtown’s maintenance services from DGI to the City of Greensboro, under Mr. Cannon’s leadership, DGI has launched a number of new initiatives and substantial progress is underway.  These include: •    Active and ongoing support of transformative Downtown development projects such as the restoration of the Cascade Saloon and acquisition of state funding for the burgeoning Union Square Campus have been among his priority areas of focus.   •    The process of launching a Downtown Master Streetscape Planning effort at DGI has also been completed under Mr. Cannon’s watch and now awaits the City’s action and support.  When implemented, this plan will substantially improve the street-level appearance of Downtown and aid in the attraction of additional investments to our urban core. •    In an ongoing effort to increase the vibrancy of Downtown and its pedestrian experience, a pilot “Parklet” program for Downtown is scheduled to be constructed and will be in place this Spring.   •    A new and exciting branding campaign entitled “Let’s Play”, also launched during Mr. Cannon’s tenure, is now underway with high quality imagery and print advertising.  It is complemented with a newly instituted social media campaign that, in its first month alone, made nearly 450,000 impressions with those connecting to Downtown Greensboro. For these efforts and others, Downtown Greensboro’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors are grateful for the initiatives Jason has begun and the contributions he has made to DGI and the City of Greensboro. Cyndy Hayworth, DGI’s current Director of Operations has been appointed to replace Mr. Cannon, on an interim basis. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.  Thank you for your continued support of Downtown Greensboro. Gary Brame Chairman of the Board Downtown Greensboro, Incorporated" - An Open Letter