Proudest Moments Of 2023: Highlights From Napa's Economic Development Division

Press release from the City of Napa:

NAPA, CA — As the new year begins, Napa's Economic Development team reflects on the achievements and milestones that shaped Napa's economic landscape in 2023. Hear from the three dedicated members of the Economic Development team on their proudest moments and top impacts from 2023:

Neal Harrison, Economic Development Manager

This year, we made communication and engagement the cornerstones of Napa's economic development journey. Why? Because effectively communicating our work expands our capacity to engage with members of the business and Napa community.

Every month, our Economic Development (ED) newsletters keep residents informed and excited about the progress our team is making towards Napa’s goals of a diversified and successful economy. Every quarter, the Economic Development Dashboard is updated with new information on the economic health of the city and our local economist, Dr. Rob Eyler, sheds light on economic conditions through engaging City Council presentations. We publish updates on key projects, like our Napa Makes webpage and newsletter and the Napa RiverLine project webpage, to keep people informed on these major economic development initiatives. Remember those inspiring "Napa Makes" events, like that one where high schoolers toured cutting-edge manufacturers? They sparked curiosity and helped forge new partnerships within the community.

But it wasn't just about grand gestures. The real game changers were the dozens of coffee chats, meetings and collaborative efforts with community members, leaders and organizations — including the Downtown Napa Association, Solano-Napa Small Business Development Center, the Napa Chamber of Commerce, the Workforce Alliance of the North Bay, Visit Napa Valley, Napa’s Tourism Improvement District and Oxbow stakeholders. These open dialogues fueled our progress to advance economic development and coordinate efforts that support the entire Napa community.

The results? Stronger partnerships, shared goals and a collective drive to make Napa an economic powerhouse that benefits everyone. This open-door approach isn't just feel-good fluff; it's the secret sauce to achieving our ambitious economic development goals.

In 2024, we'll keep the ideas flowing, the doors open and the collaboration thriving. Napa's future is bright, and it's being built, brick by brick, with every discussion, shared vision and helping hand. We look forward to continuing the conversation throughout the new year!

Jennifer Owen, Program Coordinator

My proudest moment of 2023 was attending the grand opening of the 100 Coombs Creative Collective. This was a conversion of a portion of a pet-product manufacturing warehouse space in the Tannery Bend area into 18 creative studios, and was part of the Napa Makes initiative.

The success of this project is owed to the valuable contributions of a few key people. Linda Parks of the Lixit Corporation understood the need and had the resources, and Agnes Pierscieniak, a local artist and entrepreneur, had experience working in creative co-ops. When I introduced them, the project went from an interesting idea we’d been discussing to reality. I was able to provide support throughout the journey by facilitating meetings between Linda and City staff.

As I walked through the studio spaces at the grand opening celebration, chatting with the artists and makers and seeing their work, I felt incredibly humbled and proud to have been part of its creation. This project represents the best of what an initiative like Napa Makes can achieve. By connecting the right people and providing the right kind of support, we were able to meet a crucial community need for more creative spaces.

Brendan Hurley, Program Coordinator

There's nothing quite like strolling through downtown Napa on a sunny afternoon and seeing the sidewalks buzzing with life. Local shops spilling out with customers, cafés overflowing with laughter and that familiar clinking of glasses spilling from tasting rooms featuring Napa wines — it's a scene that fills me with pride. Seeing this vibrant downtown, and knowing we helped transform it into a welcoming hub to be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike, is what truly makes my heart swell.

Whether it's catching up with the friendly faces at a new business opening, swapping stories with downtown workers or brainstorming with community leaders, every interaction reminds me why I dedicate myself to making Napa a place we can all be proud of. Together, we’ve made great strides in creating a vibrant community and in 2024, I’m eager to keep working alongside our community to make Napa an even better place to live and grow.

This press release was produced by the City of Napa. The views expressed here are the author’s own.