Former Bryant Mayor Jill Dabbs is leaving town to take a job in northwest Arkansas. According to a press release on Thursday, Dabbs will join Downtown Springdale Alliance as Executive Director. The release follows:
Downtown Springdale Alliance (DSA) is proud to announce the selection of former Mayor Jill Dabbs as executive director. She is replacing Kelly Hale Syer, who held the position from May of 2017 until the end of 2018.
Luke Parsons, president of the DSA board of directors, announced Dabbs’ appointment saying, “Jill recognizes the regional importance of Downtown Springdale’s success and brings a wealth of experience leading a rapidly growing city. Her ability to connect with members of the community and understanding of the power of urban development provide new perspectives to our organization.”
Dabbs served from 2011 until 2018 as a two-term mayor to the city of Bryant. Under her leadership, Dabbs oversaw investments in capital improvement projects including safety services, parks, and roads, as well as managed the city budget and employees for the Central Arkansas city of over 22,000 citizens. Prior to being elected mayor, Dabbs was an owner and business development director for Back and Body Chiropractic.
“I am excited for the opportunity to lead an organization focused on growing Downtown Springdale,” Dabbs said. “Its rich history and ongoing revitalization makes it a welcoming destination for business and community. I look forward to meeting with local leaders to continue the momentum.”
Dabbs is an Arkansas native and earned a Bachelor of Arts in speech communication from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
After serving two terms as Bryant Mayor, Dabbs lost a bid for re-election by 50 votes in 2018. Dabbs has close family in northwest Arkansas.
The Downtown Springdale Alliance describes their organization as, “the go-to resource for development, knowledge and programming for Downtown. It was founded by a group of dedicated advocates to manage projects such as the Razorback Regional Greenway in downtown and the Downtown Master Plan. It is now a full-service professional downtown organization focused on cultivating and curating the overall downtown experience. DSA is a highly collaborative organization, partnering closely with the City of Springdale, Springdale Chamber of Commerce, an array of other nonprofit organizations, downtown property owners and downtown businesses.”