Groups Merge In Newark: New Alliance Will Promote Businesses, Tourism, Community Development

NEWARK, NJ — Three economic organizations recently joined forces in Newark with plans to promote a “unified vision” about local businesses, tourism and community development.

The Newark City Council recently granted unanimous approval for the merger of the Newark Downtown District (NDD) and the Greater Newark Convention and Visitors Bureau (GNCVB) under the Newark Alliance banner.

The Newark Alliance will have an expanded 15-person governing board, including the former board chairs for NDD and GNCVB, along with Municipal Council President C. Lawrence Crump and Newark’s business administrator, Eric Pennington.

The alliance will be is expanding its executive team to focus on four key areas:

• “Keeping downtown clean, safe, and vibrant”
• “Attracting visitors, residents, and corporations”
• “Supporting everything from home-grown businesses to global ones”
• “Leading strategic initiatives that take on Newark’s biggest challenges, like health care access and affordability”

Bloomberg Associates, the philanthropic consulting arm of Bloomberg Philanthropies that advises cities globally, partnered with Newark to make recommendations based on national best practices and their six-year experience supporting strategic initiatives in Newark.

“This is a bold and historic move which will strengthen Newark’s economy, create a more vibrant downtown for residents and increase accountability for the city,” said Todd Rufo, economic development lead at Bloomberg Associates.

According to a statement from Mayor Ras Baraka’s office, some benefits of the merger will include:

Improved downtown district management and development – “This will enable greater scale in the execution of public improvements, community engagement, events, and activations managed by the Newark Alliance, in collaboration with organizations including Invest Newark. The growing list of these opportunities includes Halsey Fest, Newark Fan Fest, Festivals United, and activations leading up to the World Cup in 2026.”

Aligned visitor, resident, and corporate attraction – “The expanded Newark Alliance will continue to build Newark’s brand identity as a vibrant cultural hub, attracting both visitors and major businesses to the city. Alongside partners like Invest Newark and the City of Newark Arts & Education District, Newark Alliance will amplify local business’ success stories to support current business owners and attract new investment.”

Strengthened ability to meet Newark’s greatest challenges – “Building on 25 years of helping achieve Newark’s strategic priorities, the unified Alliance will allow it to bring more resources than ever before to address challenges facing Newarkers and make meaningful impact—from ending chronic homelessness to embarking on the largest tree planting campaign in decades.”

Several executives will be taking on new roles as part of this transition, including:

• Evan Weiss, who will serve as CEO of Newark Alliance and Newark Downtown District
• Alexandra Snape-Rogers, who will serve as Newark Alliance’s newly appointed chief operating officer, focused on driving operational excellence and supporting small businesses in Newark
• Kate Klinger, who will serve as chief systems transformation officer, leading cross-sector strategies to drive inclusive, systems-level change across the city’s community, environmental, and health-related initiatives
• Ashley Mays, who will serve as chief marketing officer of Newark Alliance and president of Newark Happening, the city’s destination marketing function
• Susan McKay, who will serve as chief district management officer, leading efforts to enhance downtown Newark through coordinated operations, district-wide service delivery, capital improvements, and strategic collaboration with local stakeholders
• Jorge Santos, who will serve as chief real estate and investments officer, focusing on supporting the development and small business community throughout Newark

“As we continue to rise in national prominence for living, working, visiting and investment, the City of Newark is combining our efforts toward being a global destination into one unified vision, under one roof,” Mayor Baraka said.

The merger also got a thumbs-up from Gov. Phil Murphy.

“Since day one of my administration, we’ve recognized Newark as a key engine of New Jersey’s economic growth,” Murphy said.

“I’m delighted to see these three groups come together and work toward a common goal to benefit this great city,” the governor added.

• See Related: HAX Arrives In Newark, Boosts Tech Startups In New Jersey
• See Related: NJ Launches New ‘Innovation Center’ In Newark
• See Related: Accelerator Program Boosts 16 Newark Small Business Owners

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