Bigelow to Lead Columbus Main Street

COLUMBUS, Miss. –The Main Street Columbus Board of Directors is proud to announce the appointment of Barbara Bigelow as Director of Main Street Columbus. The Board of Directors has turned to this long time Main Street Columbus volunteer and community advocate to take over the post of Director.

Bigelow was a top candidate in the initial interview process in November. When re-evaluating the candidates interviewed, the Board agreed the interview process did not need to be reopened and that Barbara was the ideal candidate for this important and multifaceted position.

Bigelow is currently a board member of Main Street Columbus, Lowndes Community Foundation (CREATE) and the Exchange Club of Columbus. She is also active in the Public Relations Association of Mississippi (PRAM), Base Community Council and serves as an ambassador and on the Military Affairs Committee of the Columbus Lowndes Development LINK.

She has been involved in many local events, including the Market Street Festival, Fireworks on the Water, Legends Festival, Pilgrimage and numerous other community events.

Barbara and her husband, Chuck, moved to Columbus 13 years ago to build and operate the Columbus Marina. Most recently, she has served as Director of Community Relations for the Frank P. Phillips Memorial YMCA, where she implemented community events such as Healthy Kids Day, National Senior Health & Fitness Day, Possum Town Mile-A-Day Marathon and Snacks with Santa and Miss Claus.

“It is an honor for me to accept this position and I am eager to work with the Main Street Board, merchants and all of the many, many volunteers who help to make our Main Street one of the best in the nation. I have enjoyed and been a part of our downtown area since arriving in Columbus. Amber (Brislin) will be a hard act to follow, but I look forward to the challenge and opportunity to continue to move Main Street Columbus forward. I will hit the ground running on the 25th, with plans for the Market Street Festival and Farmer’s Market already underway”, said Bigelow.

“Given Barbara’s extensive entrepreneurial experience and proven track record, we (the Board) feel confident that she is an excellent fit and selection for the Main Street Columbus Director,” stated Brandt Galloway, 2012 Main Street Columbus Board President.

Barbara will officially take over the Main Street Columbus Director post on Feb. 25. In the interim, former Directors Amber Brislin and Jan Miller will ensure the day-to-day operations of the organization are continued successfully. Brislin and Miller along with other volunteers and Board members will assist in the training and transition period.

“The Board is confident that Barbara will ensure the current and future successes of our award winning organization; we are pleased to have her in this position,” said John Brady, 2013 Main Street Columbus Board President.

The position became available last week when the board removed director Nickie Nicholson, who was named in November to replace Brislin, who had led the organization for five years.

The mission of Main Street Columbus is to enhance local culture and quality of life through planning, growth, diversification and preservation of the Downtown historic district. Main Street Columbus was named a Great American Main Street community in 2010, an honor bestowed to only 5 communities nationwide each year. Columbus is the only town in Mississippi to ever receive this distinction.

Main Street Columbus continues many Downtown beautification and enhancement projects throughout the year, manages the Hitching Lot Farmers’ Market and plans several special events throughout the year which include: Market Street Festival, Downtown Christmas & Spring Open Houses, the Columbus Christmas Parade, Wassail Fest, New Years’ Eve Block Party, Sounds of Summer and Noon Tunes.