Downtown Group Hires Executive Director

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joe Donofro
Tel: 334-793-3097

The Downtown Group Hires Executive Director
08/24/2012 Dothan, A

The Downtown Group (DTG), a medium to focus on commerce, culture and community in downtown Dothan has named Jill Reading as Executive Director. Ms. Reading will be in charge of promoting commerce, awareness and event management in the downtown community. Ms. Reading will spearhead this drive by creating and implementing tools to promote and recruit membership, provide education on incentives for growth and development, facilitate and mange projects, attract new businesses, and encourage a stable and vibrant downtown by expanding market opportunities throughout the events downtown.

Before joining The Downtown Group, Ms. Reading developed her vast experience in the marketing of cities and events both in corporate and marketing agency settings. The past 15 years she led blue chip clients like Jack Daniels Whisky, Korbel Champaign, Caesars and Coors Light - developing both event, promotional and brand marketing. She created national promotions partnering with the Super Bowl, NFL, Rascal Flatts, Brooks & Dunn, Indy 500 and the Kentucky Derby. In 2007, she was tapped to lead marketing at Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby.

In her three years as Churchill Downs' Director of Marketing, she developed several innovative racing, entertainment and hospitality programs like the wildly popular night racing product, Downs After Dark - called the most innovative new racing product since the Kentucky Derby by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. Ms. Reading joined The Zimmerman Agency in 2011 and managed the U.S. advertising for The Islands of the Bahamas, the City of Pensacola,