The concerts, games, and markets that brought energy to Nicollet Mall on summer Thursdays are largely thanks to Leah Wong, a 15-year veteran of the Minneapolis Downtown Council. She secured funding, entertainment, and volunteers, and she created a marketing campaign in just four weeks. “You’ve just got to start somewhere,” she says. “If we don’t, we’re going to miss our moment.” Wong was a front-runner to succeed former president and CEO Steve Cramer, but she resigned shortly after the role went to Adam Duininck (see p. 30). With her many connections to large companies and government organizations, we’ll be watching where she lands next. “Driving results with innovative solutions—that’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.”

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