Joe Batcheller

About Joe Batcheller

The first thing you should know about me is that I love cities. I love everything about them—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Cities are dynamic places that can be quite magical. At the core, cities are places for people to connect, create, grow, and innovate. Cities are nothing without people. I believe the most sociable cities are the most successful. The next thing to know about me is that I love my hometown of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I’ve always seen a vast potential for Sioux Falls. It’s a city that is leaning into that potential day-by-day. The place that is most evident is downtown. I’m fortunate to be able to live my passion for Sioux Falls and for cities every day (and get paid to do so!) by leading Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc. Over the last decade, Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc. has experienced its greatest period of prosperity. The best is yet to come, however, and I cannot wait to help write its next chapter. During my tenure, I’ve also been fortunate to have the opportunity to guide the development of several other community leaders. This is perhaps the most rewarding aspect of what I do. I have come to believe that it does not matter how much you can do with your work—it’s about how many people you can lift up along the way. My passion is the urban experience, and my purpose is to improve upon it to enrich the lives of the people of Sioux Falls.

Experience

1. President

   Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc

   Jul 2015 — Present · Sioux Falls, SD, US

   Provides vision, strategy, and leadership with particular focus on economic development, management/operations, and placemaking initiatives. Responsible for the organization’s assets, fiscal policy, and overall financial well-being. Nurtures and builds relationships with key stakeholders. Manages five full-time team members and five who are part-time. ACHIEVEMENTS: Increased effectiveness and efficiency by restructuring the organization, out-sourcing marketing and accounting, and implementing standard operating procedures. Improved member relations by implementing a customer management system. Automated several tasks by developing a new website. Grew assets and increased Clean & Green Team’s efficiency 50% by acquiring a state-of-the-art equipment. Improved brand awareness and added member value by refreshing DTSF’s marketing and adding a gift card program. Advocated for downtown development, livability, parking, retail, and walkability, with help from third-party consultants. Secured trolley funding through 2022. Added economic development tools: State of Downtown economic dashboard and pedestrian counters.

Education

• University of Sioux Falls

  Bachelors, Business Administration

  2000 — 2002

• UC Irvine

  Masters, Urban and Regional Planning

  2007 — 2009