Editorial

Old Town Cape hire looks like perfect fit to lead

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more-perfect person, based on qualifications and experience, to lead Old Town Cape.

Cape Girardeau’s downtown organization is welcoming home a downtown native in Liz Haynes.

Haynes grew up in downtown, in the “Indie House” as it is now known, a Victorian-style house at 605 Broadway.

Haynes is the daughter of Steve and Mary Ann Robertson, who both operated businesses in the downtown district. Haynes knows the challenges and opportunities of small-town businesses operating downtown.

In addition to that, she has 13 years’ experience in fundraising, community relations, board engagement, media relations and event planning.

“We would routinely shop at all the downtown businesses, and on Saturdays, my mom and I would often walk our dog down to the river and we would stop at My Daddy’s Cheesecake when it was downtown and have muffins,” Haynes told business editor Jay Wolz, “I remember having a Kool-Aid stand on the lawn in front of the Indie House and we’d always give the proceeds to a nonprofit like the Humane Society or the Red Cross after the Mississippi River flood in 1993. So in a sense, I guess I was a small-business operator in downtown Cape back then.”

Indeed, she has many memories, but also the applicable experience we all hope will translate to the role of the Old Town Cape executive director. Old Town Cape has been very successful in advocating for downtown. The district has seen many improvements made, events added and businesses started over the last decade or so under the leadership of Marla Mills, who recently departed the organization.

We wish Haynes the best as she begins her role Sept. 3. She certainly seems to have the background and experience to hit the ground running. Welcome back, Liz!

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