Main Street Program
Florida Main Street
Florida Main Street Consultants
Laura Adkins
National Trust Main Street Center
202.588.6137
lauren_adkins@nthp.org
Lauren Adkins began working for the National Trust National Main Street Center in 1991. Her work at the center currently focuses on brand management, partnership development, and managing the center's consulting services division, including marketing, staff supervision, budgeting, and client relations. Ms. Adkins is a regular conference speaker and continues to provide consulting and training services. She has worked with hundreds of communities in 38 states, plus the District of Columbia, Canada, and Singapore. Ms. Adkins has served as a faculty member at various Main Street conferences and workshops, speaking on topics such as retail promotion, volunteer management, fundraising, market analysis, and strategic planning. She has authored several articles for Main Street News and served as a guest lecturer for Catholic University and George Washington University.
Before joining the National Trust for Historic Preservation, she served as a Main Street manager in Benton, Arkansas, and as the executive director for a neighborhood commercial district revitalization project in Arlington, Virginia. Ms. Adkins holds a BA in Art and Archaeology from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, and attended the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation in New York, New York. She is a native of Hot Springs, Arkansas. Ms. Adkins is the granddaughter and daughter of "Main Street" merchants who owned the Adkins Public Drug from 1934 to 1984, and her great, great, great, great, great grandparents opened the first general store in White County, Arkansas, in the mid-nineteenth century.
John Barrow
352.317.8282
jrbarrow@gmail.com
John Barrow currently utilizes his architectural skills as a freelance designer and urban design and historic preservation consultant. Mr. Barrow was the former executive director of the Florida Community Design Center, and its founding president. His previous experience also includes; Gainesville City Commissioner, Mayor Pro Tem, chairperson of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization, Community Redevelopment Agency, Community Development Committee, and Regional Utilities Committee, Alachua County Library District Governing Board, and the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council, chairperson of the City Planning Board, Historic Preservation Board, and president of Historic Gainesville, Inc.. Mr. Barrow received a Master of Architecture from the University of Florida.
Laura Lee Corbett
Laura Lee Corbett Consulting
850.264.4611
llcorbett@earthlink.net
Laura Lee Corbett offers a variety of historic preservation services with an emphasis on cultural resource management, community revitalization and not-for-profit development. As a professional architectural historian and historic preservationist, Ms. Corbett meets the Secretary of the Interior's professional qualifications standards. She assists private sector clients in complying with various cultural resource laws in development projects. She is experienced in handling Section 106 or Federal undertakings, Developments of Regional Impact and local regulations. Ms. Corbett also provides technical assistance to FEMA's disaster programs to fulfill the agency's legal responsibilities under various historic preservation laws, executive orders and regulations.
Ms. Corbett provides technical assistance to Main Street programs, community redevelopment Agencies, not-for-profit organizations and government agencies on the local, state and federal levels. She is an approved consultant in the areas of organizational development, fund-raising, business recruitment, property development, historic preservation, promotion, public relations and advertising by both the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Florida Department of State.
Ginger Corless
Herbert-Halback, Inc.
407.422.1449
gcorless@hhidesign.com
Founded in Orlando, Florida; HHI Design is a multi-disciplined planning, landscape architecture and environmental graphics firm which has provided professional consulting services to both public and private entities throughout the state since 1977.
The firm is certified by the Florida Department of Management Services as a Statewide and Inter-local Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and is also federally self-certified as a Small Business Enterprise (SBE). In addition, HHI Design is prequalified by FDOT to provide services in groups 13 planning, 13.6 land planning/engineering and 15 landscape architecture.
HHI Design is comprised of certified planners, urban designers, registered landscape architects, landscape designers, irrigation designers, crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) specialists, public involvement specialists, graphic designers and technical and administrative. The firm has over a 30 year history of providing professional consulting services to municipalities and Main Street communities.
Tracy L. Crowe
Land Design Innovations, Inc.
407.975.1273
crowe@landbiz.com
Land Design Innovations, Inc. (LDI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Littlejohn Engineering, Inc. and has offices in Maitland and Fort Walton Beach, Florida. LDI is part of the Florida Main Street Communities' Consulting Services Program with the expertise to provide business recruitment; property development; write comprehensive plans, zoning codes, and other redevelopment-supportive ordinances; entrepreneurial and business development; website development; signage system design; transportation planning; urban design; and historic preservation services. Visit the firm's website at www.landbiz.com.
John Edwards
404.264.0789
jdedwards4929@bellsouth.net
John Edwards has 35 years experience in the traffic engineering, transportation planning and parking field. During his consulting assignments, he has managed over 25 Main Street downtown studies. He has worked with the National Main Street Center on many Main Street towns and authored the "Parking Handbook for Small Communities" and edited the first and second editions of the "Transportation Planning Handbook" for the Institute of Transportation Engineers. He is a past president of the International Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), having served in that capacity in 1985. Mr. Edwards is the recipient of the Burton W. Marsh Award for Outstanding Service, ITE's highest award, and was named the 1996 Transportation Professional of the Year by the Georgia Section, ITE. He is a registered professional engineer in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, and Texas.
Sharon Heal Eichler
Wade-Trim
813.882.8366
seichler@wadetrim.com
Award winning designer, Sharon Eichler, is an authority in Florida landscape architecture. As a University of Florida graduate, the focus of her practice over the past 28 years has been delivery of efficient and responsive consulting services for local and state government agencies. She has managed, designed and administered contracts for the Florida Department of Transportation, the Tampa Sports Authority and numerous city/county governments across the state. Her passion for highway beautification and park/recreation design has resulted in the successful completion of over 200 landscape architecture projects throughout Florida. Ms. Eichler is a LEED ® Accredited Professional and specializes in sustainable design. Ms. Eichler believes in giving back to her community and voluntarily serves as a Development Review Commissioner for the City of St. Petersburg, a position she has held for over 15 years.
Ronald H. Frantz, Jr.
The Frantz Alliance, LLC
405.740.0854
frantzfamily4@cox.net
Ronald H. Frantz, Jr., AIA, Architect, has 29 years of experience working with property owners in small historic downtowns, urban commercial districts, and inner city neighborhoods. He is the architect for the Oklahoma Main Street Center, with a total of 18 years experience. Mr. Frantz is a volunteer for many non-profit organizations, all located in the inner city. He co-founded and chaired the Automobile Alley Main Street Program, an urban area in Oklahoma City. From this experience, Mr. Frantz converts success stories into articles and public presentations. His articles have appeared in Preservation Forum, Main Street News, The Craftsman Homeowner, Traditional Building, and Old-House Journal. He has delivered presentations at more than 100 conferences in 25 states. Frantz and his wife, Mary, own an Oklahoma City-based architecture and consulting firm, The Frantz Alliance, LLC, with national clientele. Additionally, Frantz is the creator of "Okla Texture Blog," an Oklahoma architecture weblog, http://oklatextureblog.blogspot.com/ .
David Godwin, AIA
Design Sequence
321.779.0006
designsequence@cs.com
David P. Godwin, AIA, is a Registered Architect (Florida #AR-94458 and Georgia #RA-012192) and 2010 President of the Space Coast Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Mr. Godwin is a Qualified Consultant of the Florida Main Street Consulting Services Program with experience in graphic arts, preservation architecture, store design, visual merchandising, organizational development, special events, property development and urban design. He is actively involved with the Melbourne Main Street Program and directly responsible for developing their current way-finding, entrance feature signage, and was the "Gateway to Historic Downtown Melbourne" lead designer in 2006. In addition, Mr. Godwin currently serves on the Melbourne Historic Preservation Board and has in-depth experience in coastal architecture & design. Previous way-finding and development projects in which Mr. Godwin participated include the 2008 Master Plan for the Citrus Council Girl Scout Camps in Orlando, Osceola County and Merritt Island, Florida; the Melbourne Riverwalk project of the Florida Scenic Highways Program, the Historic Preservation Master Plan for Fort Screven District, Tybee Island, Georgia, and numerous retail stores and signage in Historic Savannah, Georgia. Mr. Godwin holds a Master of Architecture degree from the prestigious Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD), School of Architecture, Savannah, Georgia, with a minor in Historic Preservation, and studies in interiors, graphics and display design. While still in Georgia, he was the Tybee Island Fine Arts Commission Chairman, and responsible for beginning the Free Savannah Symphony's Christmas Concerts at City Hall, and, 1997 creating the Tybee Island Fine Art Association Gallery which is still thriving today. In 2001, he was appointed to the Tybee Island Historic Preservation Review Board, which started three Historic Districts on the island in an effort to preserve turn-of-the century beach homes. Mr. Godwin is a founding member of the Thunderbolt Museum Society. As Board Member of the Society, he helped write the bylaws, and as program director initiated a lecture series from local historians.
Donna Ann Harris
Heritage Consulting, Inc.
267.251.5444
donna@heritageconsultinginc.com
Donna Ann Harris is the principal of Heritage Consulting Inc., a Philadelphia-based consulting firm that works nationwide in three practice areas: downtown and commercial district revitalization, historic preservation and nonprofit organizational development. Prior to starting her firm in 2004, Ms. Harris was state coordinator for the Illinois Main Street program for two years and the manager of the Illinois suburban Main Street program for four years. During her tenure, Ms. Harris served 56 Illinois Main Street communities, led a staff of 12 and managed a budget of over $1 million dollars. Prior to her Main Street career, Ms. Harris spent 15 years as an executive director of three start-up and two mature preservation organizations, each with its own organizational and fundraising challenges. Since 2004, Ms. Harris has worked with state and local Main Street programs in 17 states. She has spoken for the last six years at the National Trust Main Street Center annual conference, and at the International Downtown Association annual meeting in 2008 and 2009. Ms. Harris has published four feature articles in the National Trust Main Street Center's monthly journal Main Street News: "Make Your Case: Triple Your Membership," (September/October 2010); "Make More Money from Members," (August, 2008); "Is a BID Feasible for Your Town? Ten Questions to Ponder," (April 2007) and "A Valiant Effort" and "What You Can Do, Lessons From Illinois Main Street," (January 2005). Her book New Solutions for House Museums: Ensuring the Long-Term Preservation of America's Historic Houses was published in 2007 by AltaMira Press. Ms. Harris earned a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University in New York City, and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Learn more at www.heritageconsultinginc.com
Charlie Johnson
Wood+Partners Inc.
850.391.0371
cjohnson@woodandpartners.com
Charlie Johnson is a project manager at Wood+Partners with experience in urban design, landscape architecture, park design, permitting, and site construction observation. His past experience includes managing and working on multi-disciplinary projects involving teams with planners, landscape architects, engineers, biologists, surveyors and permitting specialists. His professional strengths include environmental analysis, public presentations, design workshops, municipal plan approvals and permitting, cost estimating and construction documentation and observation. He has worked on projects ranging from small pocket parks up to planned unit developments, and seen projects through from concept to construction.
Kathy La Plante
National Trust Main Street Center
202.297.2893
kathy_laplante@nthp.org
Kathy La Plante has worked in the Main Street field for over 21 years. Ms. LaPlante joined the staff of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's National Main Street Center in 2007 and is a senior program officer. She provides technical assistance and training services to statewide, city, and county Main Street programs across the country. Prior to accepting this position, she served as the first Director of the New Hampshire Main Street Center, serving in that role for over ten years. Ms. La Plante was responsible for initiating the nonprofit New Hampshire Main Street Program, and providing comprehensive technical assistance to 23 designated Main Street programs. Ms. La Plante began her Main Street career in 1989 as the executive director of the Chippewa Falls (WI) Main Street Program. Seven years later, Chippewa Falls was a recipient of the Great American Main Street Award, recognizing it as one of the top five downtown revitalization programs in the country. At both Chippewa Falls and New Hampshire she also worked as an independent consultant working with communities in Arkansas, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, Vermont, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Maine. Prior to working in downtown revitalization, Ms. La Plante spent 12 years in retail management including, ten years as manager of Spurgeon's Department Stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa.
James G. LaRue, AICP
LaRue Planning & Management Services, Inc.
239.334.3366
Rochelle Lawandales
Lawandales Planning Affiliates
321.727.2819
rwlawandales@lpaplans.com
As Immediate past president of the Florida Redevelopment Association, Rochelle Lawandales brings 30 years of planning, redevelopment, economic and neighborhood development experience covering both the public and private sectors. Ms. Lawandales served the City of Rockledge Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) as their consulting director for the past seven years. She is past chair of the Satellite Beach CRA Advisory Board and 16 year member/13 year chair of the Satellite Beach Planning Board. Ms. Lawandales taught Urban Design as an adjunct professor at the University of Central Florida in 2004. She has established CRAs in Melbourne, Merritt Island, Palm Shores, South Daytona, and Fellsmere, and provided redevelopment/urban design Assistance to Palm Bay, Palm Shores, Melbourne Beach, Malabar, Melbourne, Fellsmere, Cocoa Beach, South Daytona, Rockledge, Cocoa, and Brevard county. She assisted Hamilton county's Main Street Program doing an Historic Building Inventory and Preservation Study, and facilitated Melbourne Main Street's creation of a Strategic Vision and Action Plan. Her strengths are urban design, historic preservation, marketing, special events, strategic plans, and public involvement. Her speaking engagements have included: Florida Brownfields Association, Florida Planning and Zoning Association, Florida Redevelopment Association, Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association, Florida Main Street, Florida Local Government Finance Officers Association, among others. She is a certified Main Street Consultant and Minority Business Entrepreneur.
Teresa Lynch
National Trust Main Street Center
859.873.0234
teresa_lynch@nthp.org
Teresa Lynch is a senior program officer with the National Trust Main Street Center (NTMSC), and is based out of her home in Kentucky. Prior to joining the center 12 years ago, Ms. Lynch served as coordinator of both the Main Street Arkansas and Virginia Main Street programs and was a local Main Street manager in Orange, Virginia. Since coming to the center, Ms. Lynch has provided Main Street technical assistance and training to small and mid-sized communities and urban neighborhood commercial districts across the country and has managed special NTMSC projects, such as the Army-Community Heritage Partnerships Program, which provided organizational development and commercial revitalization services to communities and neighboring Army installations in New York, Georgia, Arizona, Kansas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, Louisiana, and Kentucky.
Norma Ramirez de Miess
National Trust Main Street Center
202.213.6720
norma_miess@nthp.org
Norma Ramirez de Miess is a senior program officer with the National Trust Main Street Center, helping communities assess revitalization needs, foster proactive engagement, and define strategies to build effective organizations. Ms. Ramirez de Miess developed the center's diversity services, promoting initiatives that increase understanding of the process of involvement and business approach of multi-cultural entrepreneurs. Prior to joining the center, Ms. Ramirez de Miess led one of the largest and most diverse downtown revitalization programs in Illinois. Her education in Civil Engineering is supported with 20 years of community development experience in disaster relief, heritage tourism, and non-profit management.
Jeannette Peters
Nonprofit Management Consulting
352.371.7412
jp@getfunded.org
Jeannette Peters of Nonprofit Management Consulting LLC works with community-based and faith-based organizations nationwide to improve effectiveness and sustainability. Ms. Peters has been working in a leadership capacity with nonprofit organizations since 1992. A "recovering attorney," she has managed a number of large-scale federal and state-funded projects, including eight years as Head Start Director for four north Florida counties, and has secured more than $19 million in grant funding for her clients since 1995. She frequently serves as a federal grant reviewer in Washington, DC, for the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education and the Corporation for National & Community Service. Ms. Peters has degrees in Journalism and Law, and completed a Johnson & Johnson Management Fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2000. She is a Main Street Consultant in the area of Organization, and has been trained in community development and organizational development by the federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention and the Head Start Bureau.
David Quinn
828.274.0716
dequinn@bellsouth.net
David Quinn is an independent planning consultant, based in western North Carolina, where he has lived and practiced planning for 40 years. Mr. Quinn served as the senior planner in the western office of the North Carolina Department of Commerce's Division of Community Assistance for 30 years before retiring from that position in 2002. His work focused on land use planning, ordinance development and downtown revitalization assistance to local units of government throughout a 23-county region in the mountains of western North Carolina. From 2002 until 2010, Mr. Quinn was director of the Small Towns Revitalization Program for HandMade in America, a regional non-profit organization serving 23 counties of western North Carolina. He participated in the Main Street Resource Team in Moore Haven, Florida, in 2006, and served as the team leader for the Main Street Resource Team in the Lincoln Park community of Ft. Pierce, Florida, in 2007. Mr. Quinn has provided presentations to conferences and workshops in North Carolina; Florida; Vermont; and British Columbia, Canada.
Linda Stevenson
Stevenson Architects
941.747.3696
stevensonarchitects@yahoo.com
2010 Ruby Gill House restoration, Pine Island, FL
2009 Olga School restoration, Lee County, FL
2008 Art Hall restoration, Koreshan State Historic Site, Estero, FL
Other major projects include the restoration of the Ca'd'Zan at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, and serving as the consulting historic architect for the Edison & Ford Winter Estates, Fort Myers, FL
Ms. Stevenson is a Richard Morris Hunt Fellow, an award co-sponsored by the American Architectural Foundation and the French Heritage Society, to provide for cultural exchange in the field of Heritage Conservation. She holds a Masters in Architecture from the University of South Florida, and is a doctoral candidate at the University of Florida.
Doris Tillman
772.216.2337
tillmandd@aol.com
A native Floridian, Doris Tillman has been a Main Street manager for the past 20 years. Doris has a Bachelors degree in Sociology, which she feels has helped her in understanding communities, and a Masters degree in Business. In 2003 she graduated from the Main Street Certification Institute to become a Certified Main Street Manager. Her passion for Main Street has carried her through three historic restorations, including a historic silent movie and vaudeville house and the new construction of a center for manatees and the delicate eco-system they live in.
Ronald J. Treharne, AIA
Ark 1 Tek
321.698.5739
ron.treharne@ark1tek.com
Ronald J. Treharne, AIA, is the owner of Ark1Tek Architecture & Planning, specializing in site planning, urban planning, and adaptive re-use of existing buildings. He has 25 years of design experience. (Florida Architect's License: AR 95317 and NCARB certified. Member of AIA, APA and LEED ® accredited professional certified.) Mr. Treharne holds college degrees in Architecture (Florida A&M and Ohio State), Urban Studies (Wright State), Computer Information Systems (Webster), Civil and Mechanical Engineering (Clark State).
G. Brian Wheeler, RLA
Genesis Group
904.730.9360
bwheeler@genesisgroup.com
G. Brian Wheeler, RLA, CNU, has 32 years of experience in Environmental Design and Landscape Architecture for mixed use developments. Wheeler directs a multi-disciplinary, urban design and environmental firm with eight branches throughout Florida andGeorgia. He primarily manages multi-disciplinary team efforts for urban projects that include design, engineering, and environmental solutions.
