The Downtown Ithaca Alliance (DIA) is very pleased to announce the hire of Allison Graffin as its new Marketing Director. She comes to the DIA having spent the last six years as Marketing Director for Ithaca Beer Co., helping to grow the brewery from a small family business to a nationally acclaimed brand and organizing the popular annual Ithaca Brew Fest event from 2008 to 2011.
Graffin came to Ithaca in 2004 after working for an entertainment technology law firm in New York City. She says, “I came to visit my boyfriend – now husband – one weekend and fell in love with Ithaca too. Ithaca struck me as a very vibrant city that offered everything great about a big city plus everything great about a small town. I simply couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.”
Graffin says her primary objectives in her new position at the DIA are to “restore faith among the businesses downtown by conveying that the end of the Commons construction is in sight and to drum up incentive opportunities to bring locals and tourist to the Commons right now. Ithaca is teeming with unique opportunities; we just need to deliver the message effectively.”
Now settling into her new office in Center Ithaca, Graffin is enjoying the convenience of working downtown. “Now I can take care of all my errands over a lunch break – drop off my dry cleaning, mail letters, pick up a birthday cake – without even having to even get in my car. The efficiency is simply wonderful and it has really brought me so much joy and peace of mind.”
Graffin also joins the rest of the downtown business community in looking forward to the new Commons design. “In the immediate future, I’m looking forward to once again darting back and forth across the Commons with ease. I’m also really excited to see the completed Bernie Milton Pavilion in Bank Alley; it’s going to be a very beautiful spot to gather for the Summer Concert Series and other special events.”
DIA Executive Director Gary Ferguson notes that “Allison Graffin brings a track record of marketing prowess to Downtown Ithaca. We are anxious to help our community and our region reconnect and rediscover their transforming downtown and Allison is the right person to help us tackle this task. She will be charged with leading our marketing efforts – to our stakeholders, to our community, and to the region and beyond.”
Graffin can be reached at allison@downtownithaca.com or 607-277-8679.
