Jason Mathis, head of the community-promoting Downtown Alliance of Salt Lake City for the past decade, has submitted his resignation, effective Aug. 13.
Mathis is moving to Florida to take on the position of CEO of the Downtown Partnership in St. Petersburg.
“I have given my heart to this community and worked as hard as I could to advance our shared goals,” Mathis said in his resignation letter. “I love this community and I am profoundly grateful to have helped to be part off our city’s evolution.”
While sad to leave colleagues he considers “family,” he said he is excited to begin a new chapter in his professional life.
In recent years, Utah’s capital has seen the investment of more than $5 billion in retail, office and housing.
Mathis played a role in such projects as the development of City Creek mall, the Eccles Theater, Main Street revitalization and the ongoing efforts to bring the Gateway mall back to life. Community initiatives that have launched or expanded during the period include the New Year’s celebration called EVE and then the Last Hurrah, GREENbike and the Farmers Market.
“Jason’s role in creating a vibrant downtown and prosperous capital city cannot be overstated,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Downtown Alliance and Salt Lake Chamber.
Molly Mazzolini, past board chairwoman of the Downtown Alliance, praised Mathis as a “cohesive force” who “makes us all feel like we are participants because of his collaborative, effortless style.”
The nonprofit alliance will begin an immediate search for a replacement.
