After 22 years of leading the Franklin Downtown Partnership (FDP), Executive Director Lisa Piana will be taking early retirement to spend more time with her family.
“I feel that this is the right time as the FDP celebrates its 25th Anniversary this year,” Piana said.
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| Lisa Piana |
The FDP’s mission is to stimulate economic development in downtown in order to create a positive impact throughout the area, as well as to be a proactive organization that brings residents, business owners and community leaders together, encourages cooperation, and builds leadership to revitalize downtown Franklin.
Under Piana’s leadership the FDP member base has grown from 25 members to nearly 300 today.
Longtime FDP President, Scott Martin said, “Lisa has had a strong impact and is a passionate leader. She’s a strong advocate and has built relationships with town council, administrators at both the town and state level, and with retailers. She always is thinking not only what’s best for downtown, but what’s best for Franklin as a whole.”
“She is one of the most creative people I have worked with,” Martin added. “Where there’s a challenge or opportunity, she doesn’t see just one solution. She can think of three or four different angles. She sees opportunities everywhere.”
Years of Collaboration
Piana’s first major project as Executive Director was working with Marini Construction who developed Franklin Commons and the building where Birchwood Bakery is located.
“It was really important to work with the developers early in their proposal so we could include green spaces in their planning,” Piana said. The FDP and the town convinced Marini to include the patio on Summer Street and on East Central Street where the bakery now has outdoor seating.
Another early project was the design of the Historical Museum’s green space including the straw hat boy bronze sculpture. The sculpture reflects Franklin’s important history of manufacturing straw hats.
In 2021 Piana led the downtown art mural projects in three separate alleyways by reaching out to the local artists from the Franklin Art Association for their talents.
She is credited with creating The Ladybug Cultural & Historical Trail in the Cultural District in 2022. The trail consists of 2-foot-wide fiberglass ladybugs, painted by local artists, from a 2019 Cultural Council project. The ladybugs are tucked among buildings, art murals, and historic points of interest in downtown.
The Ladybug Trail is a good example of collaboration with FDP members and so many organizations. The committee consisted of Town Council members, Franklin Garden Club, Cultural District Committee, Franklin Art Association, and the Franklin Historical Museum.
She has been involved in overseeing more than 40 community events in her time with the FDP. Back in 2005 the signature events – Strawberry Stroll and Harvest Festival – were small events with just a few hundred attendees. Today each event brings in close to 10,000 visitors from Franklin and surrounding towns.
Volunteers are vital to the FDP and how these community events and projects get completed. “There are so many talented and generous people in Franklin,” Piana explained. “Volunteers are the key to the FDP’s success throughout the years.”
“Lisa is very team-oriented,” said Michael Carroll, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications Officer at Dean Bank. “She’s always inclusive and collaborative giving credit to the group rather than the individual. She’s always been good that way. I think any good leader does that.”
Under Piana’s leadership the FDP helped downtown businesses get through some challenging times including the major Streetscape project in 2016 and then COVID a few years later. “People often forget how the sidewalks and roads were torn up and in some cases you couldn’t even get in the front doors of some of the downtown businesses. Business owners were just trying to stay afloat and then it happened again when COVID hit,” Piana explained.
She points to her dedicated Board of Directors over the years for the many downtown successes. “Without the leadership of people like Scott Martin, FDP President, and Roberta Trahan, FDP Vice President, we would not have been able to accomplish all that we have done. There are so many community leaders that have given hundreds of hours of their time. It’s what makes Franklin so special,” she said.
Reflecting Back
What is she most proud of? “One of the things I’m most proud of is the collaboration that the FDP has with so many community leaders and organizations.” She explained, “I think when you have everyone working together for a common goal that’s really how things get done. It’s rewarding to see projects completed year after year, and the goals become reality.”
The Franklin Downtown Partnership has worked to enable new businesses to open while supporting the established businesses. Shops are thriving due to shared promotions and events, networking, and strong social media. Downtown now has a dynamic mix of eateries, gift shops, pubs and entertainment.
What is most clear when talking with Piana is her passion for the downtown. “I love my job. I get to work with amazing leaders, volunteers, and small businesses. It has truly been a dream job.”
Reflecting on her tenure, Piana said the downtown has changed dramatically, but the Partnership’s goals have pretty much stayed the same. “We’re still focused on our mission to continue with the revitalization and economic development of the downtown. Every time we finish one project another is presented to us. Our work is never done.”
She feels that this is a good time to pass the baton. “I’m excited to spend more time with my family, travel and restart my art career. I will stay involved. It is in my DNA,” she laughed.
Piana’s last day as Executive Director will be April 30th. She will remain on staff for the rest of the year to guide the new executive director and work on special projects. And she will continue to promote the downtown every chance she gets.
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