Miller and Hart join Downtown Albany BID

Georgette Steffens, executive director, and the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District have welcomed two new staff members to their office. Jennifer Miller has joined the BID as director of business development and Paul Hart joined as communications manager. Georgette Steffens said, "As the BID continues to position itself as the go-to organization for all things downtown, business development and communications are among our top priorities. Jennifer and Paul bring the additional strong skill sets to the BID that will help us succeed in the initiatives to realize this vision as we embark on 2010." Miller came to the BID from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University in Ithaca where she served as director of business partnerships and corporate relations. At CALS, Her role was to establish and enhance partnerships between businesses and the college to create mutually beneficial opportunities for research, teaching, and extension. Prior to her role at CALS, she was employed by the Cornell Center for Technology Enterprise and Commercialization (CCTEC) as manager of economic development. She also held the position of VP of marketing and communications at the Center for Economic Growth (CEG), a regional economic development organization. Additionally, she has held marketing positions in two upstate New York technology companies. She holds a BS in Marketing and Management from Siena College in Loudonville and an MA in Organizational Communication from the University at Albany. Hart began and grew his career in store management with several national retailers. For seven years, he led teams of more than 75 employees to achieve multi-million dollars in annual sales at several Old Navy stores in the upstate New York region. He then relocated to N.Y.C. where he managed high-profile flagship stores for Pier 1 Imports, Bombay Company, and most recently for Ann Taylor Stores. As he finished his bachelor's degree, Hart completed a nine-month internship with the Downtown Albany BID in 2008, notably co-directing the 2008 Quadricentennial Commemorative Calendar project. He holds a BS in Business from the City University of New York (CUNY) and is currently working toward his MBA at the University at Albany.