Business

Riverhead BID hires new director to lead downtown events

Diane Tucci Riverhead BID

For most of the past five years, the Riverhead Business Improvement District has operated without any paid staff or an office.

Members of the BID Management Association, who are volunteers themselves, have been responsible for organizing many of the popular downtown events the group sponsors, including the recent Alive on 25, the Fourth of July celebration and others.

But that’s changing now.

The BIDMA will have a paid executive director to do a lot of that work, according to Steve Shauger, BIDMA’s president,  as Diane Tucci of Riverhead has been hired to take on that role as BIDMA’s executive director.

Ms. Tucci already helped the group with Alive on 25, he said.

“We wanted someone with a background in web design, social media and photography,” Mr. Shauger said. “She also has a marketing background and she has experience working with volunteers and interns.”

At its Sept. 21 meeting, the BIDMA had planned to adopt its 2017 budget, which includes a $30,000 salary for a part-time executive director, but not enough members were present that night to hold a legal vote on anything.

It held a special meeting last Wednesday to appoint Ms. Tucci as executive director.

Riverhead Town will give the BID office space in Town Hall for its executive director, Mr. Shauger said.
Ms. Tucci owns Main Street Agency, which specializes in photography, graphic design and web design, among other things, according to her website.

Ms. Tucci said she’s “excited” about the job.

“Once I’m voted in, I will start officially and immediately on the next BID event, which is the Halloween Fest Oct. 29,” Ms. Tucci said in an email.

The BIDMA hasn’t had an executive director for about a decade after running up a large debt in the mid-2000s.
Former BIDMA president Ray Pickersgill stepped down briefly in 2014 to serve as executive director, but didn’t like the position and eventually resumed his role as president.

Caption: Diane Tucci is the new executive director of the Riverhead BID.

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