Meet Alaina & Chris, your new Downtown Dayton reps!
April 25, 2023
We’re so excited to welcome Alaina Geres & Chris Lewis to the Launch Dayton fam!
Both Alaina and Chris are new faces at the Downtown Dayton Partnership, so if you’re ever looking for space downtown, there’s a good chance you’re going to work with them. Alaina is the new Director of Economic Development, and Chris is the new Economic Development Manager.
Read on to get to know them.
Launch Dayton: Introduce yourself — who are you & what’s your new role?
Alaina: My name is Alaina Geres and my new role is the Director of Economic Development at the Downtown Dayton Partnership.
Chris: My name is Chris Lewis, and I am the Economic Development Manager at the Downtown Dayton Partnership. My role is to leverage relationships between residents, businesses, and property owners to build a thriving downtown.
What drew you to this role?
Alaina: I knew I wanted to be in the Dayton area in an economic development-type of position and one luckily opened up at the Downtown Dayton Partnership.
Chris: The public service aspect of the role was a huge factor in my decision. It was important for me to do something I found rewarding, and working on behalf of the downtown community to make Dayton a more prosperous city has been exactly what I hoped for.
What are you most excited about in this work, this organization?
Alaina: I am super excited to see how the downtown develops as all of these new residential units open up and more people start moving downtown.
Chris; I am most excited about the opportunity to work alongside people who care about this city as much as I do. In my short time at the Downtown Dayton Partnership, I have already met so many incredible people. It is no wonder there is so much happening downtown.
What’s your Dayton story?
Alaina: I grew up in Richmond, Indiana, so we were always coming to the Dayton area for fun. I moved to Germantown, south of Dayton, about 4 years ago. What I love most about the community is the inclusive environment. Everyone has been super welcoming and eager to help.
Chris: I grew up in Vandalia, but I didn’t really experience Dayton until I worked as a downtown cleaning ambassador after high school. When I was there, I realized how many great amenities Dayton had to offer, and I was quickly hooked on the city. Whatever a person could be interested in, Dayton seems to have something to offer.
Where can we find you when you’re off the clock? What are your hobbies, what are you passionate about?
Alaina: I am a mom of two, so off the clock, I am usually working even harder. We love to get outdoors, camp, and explore nature.
Chris: In 2019, I was awarded former Ohio Governor James M. Cox’s historic Dayton View mansion for $1. The house, which had been vacant for nearly ten years, needed extensive repairs, and since then, I’ve spent thousands of hours renovating it. Over that time, historic preservation has become both a hobby and a passion for me.
What book, song, podcast, movie, or tv show (or some other media) are you enjoying right now & why?
Alaina: I bought Lost Dayton to learn more about the history of Dayton. I know how important the history is to the community and I love learning the stories behind all of these buildings in the downtown.
Chris: During the pandemic, I binge-watched the first two seasons of The Witcher. I am eagerly awaiting the third season, which is set to come out this summer. It has been a grueling two-year wait.
Anything we didn’t think to ask that you want to share with the community?
Chris: Yes, but it’s a fun fact about the city, not me. Downtown parking meters are FREE after 6 p.m. on weekdays and all weekend long!
Want to learn more about bringing your business downtown? Connect with Alaina at [email protected] or Chris at [email protected]
