You can think of life as a moving escalator with opportunities for
stepping up. You expect the best, you give your best and in the
process you get to learn what you're passionate about, the special
talents you bring to the plate.
So you get a job and do your best. What attracts you, what makes your
eyes sparkle and compels your energy, when you look back on it, that's
where your passions lie.
The marks you set, your footprints in the
sand, the relationships you establish, all of it strengthens the
organization and gives you a chance to grow and understand yourself
better.
But now you,re at the top of the escalator. It's time to move on.
It,s time for you to step off at the level to which you have been
moving all along. Its time to let someone else to bring the organization along while you explore another facet of your
life.
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Zachary Cohen, Executive Director, Upham's Corner Main Street is
leaving the organization he has served for the last four years, leaving
it in much better condition than it was back in 2007. He came to UCMS
while seeking a place where he could exercise and explore his passion
for community building - discovered while working with patients at
MacLean Hospital.
The job at UCMS provided so much more, an opportunity to continue his
own professional growth while he helped the organization stabilize,
grow and mature. On a personal note, he discovered that he had roots
in Upham's Corner. His grandmother had worked at a clothing store
located across from the Strand Theatre. The owner? His
great-grandmother. That puts it almost directly across the street
from the UCMS office.
Remember the adage: "Always leave on a high note." UCMS has just
completed its strategic plan, putting in place a cohesive vision for
how the organization will function for the years ahead. At the same
time, Zach identified a need to return to school to hone his business
skills. There couldn,t be a better time to turn the reins over to
someone else.
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 When Zachary Cohen accepted the position of Executive Director, Upham's
Corner Main Street, he took over an organization that was a significant challenge.
- It was in debt. Back in 2007 inadequate attention to fundraising
had left the organization without sufficient funds to pay salaries, so
UCMS board members had made personal loans to the organization.
- It had problems with the IRS - technical issues.
- It wasn't following the Main Street structure - The Main Street
model calls for four committees: organization, economic restructuring,
promotions and design. UCMS had only one - economic restructuring.
- The UCMS board was weak - only a handful of board members were
active and provided direction. The level of investment by Board
members was lower than it needed to be.
- Office files were a mess - too many filing cabinets, no index and no ability to find the right paperwork
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All of that has changed. Zach's first
year was focused on stabilizing the organization. Overall
conditions have turned around significantly. UCMS couldn't be in better
health now.
- The debt was paid off as a result of the early Urban Safari fundraisers.
- After many phone calls to the IRS, the tax issues were resolved.
- UCMS worked to create the full set of committees defined by the
Main Street model along with chairs who could also be on the board.
- New board members were identified who were clearly invested in the
organization and were willing to express their opinions and give
direction.
- Old files were cleared out and the office organized
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UC News: What else has changed since 2007?
Zach: People see Upham's Corner Main Street and the district as a
viable organization that has the ability to make an impact on the
neighborhood. I think that is much more significant than it was when I
arrived.
UC News: How did you improve the efficacy of the organization?
Zach: I think it's the one-on-one relationships more than anything
else. It's listening, being out there and available and being a
trustworthy person, building people's trust.
With a new board member,
if they find we are doing projects that have a goal and that we are an
organization focused on turning ideas into action, that leads them to
believe in what we are doing. They then share that with other people
in their network.
I also think some basic things things are important - follow through on e-mails and phone
calls, for example. We do a very good job of following up and
making decisions in a timely enough manner that people feel that they
come to us, they will be able to get their questions answered in a
reliable, honest and thoughtful way.
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Zach: The other part of it is the projects we have chosen to do. The
St. Kevin's visioning exercise was important because we were able to
engage a lot of different organizations and advertise it in the
community at large. We also showed the desire to represent everybody.
We have really focused on how to make this organization more
representative of the community so that decisions we make are
beneficial to the community as a whole. This increases the desire to
participate.
Examples of projects carried out over the last four years include:
- Strand Theatre - supporting the concerts, developing a stronger relationship and connecting the community to the Strand
- Holiday promotions events - Holiday Passport, business decorations contest, "Receipts to Retreat"
- Local Food Dinner at Restaurant Laura which brought 70 people (mostly from the suburbs) to the restaurant and to Upham's Corner
- Business networking breakfasts, nine in all with an average attendance of 60
- Store front upgrades through the Design Committee -
19 Ramsey St, 16 Hancock St (5 stores in all) and 500 Columbia Rd (the
Municipal Bldg)
- Staff - In prior years UCMS was able to expand its capacity by using interns
from Wentworth Institute technology. In 2010 they hired a program
manager who helped stay in touch with what was happening in the
business district and move projects forward.
- Urban Safari as major fundraiser (4 years)
- Move the UCMS office to a visible storefront
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Zachary Cohen shared his vision about the future of Upham's Corner and Upham's Corner Main Street.
- New Executive Director properly trained
- Follow the strategic plan
- Collaborative projects
- Get to know the community better
- Five years from now
Executive Director
I'd like to see a new executive director come in and spend a few months
getting to know the community. That means interacting with everybody
on the board and talking with every business owner in the
neighborhood. Beyond that there are our funders, the neighborhood
associations and the City of Boston. Networking is really important -
using each person you meet to meet others, and trying to understand all
those people's visions for the neighborhood.
 Strategic Plan
My hope is that we'll have a stronger board that is more representative
of the community and that we will have an expanding staff. I'd like to
see the board and committees begin to follow very closely the strategic
plan and the infrastructure put in place by the strategic plan.
Use the strategic plan to make a clearer plan for our programmatic
direction. Let the infrastructure lead to stronger programs and their
support.
Collaborative Projects
I'd like the programmatic committees beginning to work in the next year
on collaborative projects across committees - economic restructuring,
promotions and design committees. They would work together to
accomplish one-of-projects in the neighborhood that are visible,
impactful and can grow and develop.
The Community
Getting to know the community means expanding our networks. We should
continue working with the existing neighborhood associations but branch
out. Work more closely and more often with the impact organizations
such as Dorchester Bay and DSNI. Also tap into churches and schools
and use those places to connect with more community members.
In Five Years
I see an Upham's Corner business district that is more walkable, more
visually appealing and more connected to the community with more
traffic and more people shopping at the stores.
By then additional storefront projects will be completed so that the
heart of the district is more appealing. We also want to make sure the
businesses and residents are connected - the right goods and services
for the people who shop here.
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