Regional leaders accept state posts

Peter Herschend, co-founder of Herschend Family Entertainment Corp., was reappointed as president of the State Board of Education, and Gayla Roten, executive director of the Downtown Branson Main Street Association, was hired as state coordinator for the Missouri Main Street Connection.

Herschend on education

Gov. Matt Blunt visited the Republic Early Childhood Center to announce Herschend’s reappointment, which is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending July 1, 2015. Herschend has served on the board since 1991.

“Every year, Missouri is gaining ground in core content areas, but progress is slow and we need to do better,” Herschend said in a news release. “It will take the attention of all of us to stay focused on improving our standing in education.”

Herschend also has served as president of the Missouri Attractions Association, Ozark Marketing Council and the Missouri Tourism Commission.

Herschend Family Entertainment owns, operates or partners in 17 properties in seven states, including Branson’s Silver Dollar City and Celebration City. The company has dual headquarters in Branson and Atlanta.

Roten on Main Street

Roten will begin work for Missouri Main Street Connection on Nov. 5, according to a news release by MMSC, which has not had a coordinator for several years.

MMSC provides services to help about 80 Missouri communities rejuvenate economic growth in their historic commercial districts.

Roten and an office assistant will work with the Missouri Department of Economic Development to help communities implement projects in business development, job growth and training, community services and infrastructure improvements.

Roten will serve as an advocate for downtown business districts, state policies regarding downtown revitalization and the Main Street Program. She will develop training and promotional materials for local Main Street programs and serve as the organization’s liaison with the National Trust Main Street Center in Washington, D.C.

Funding for the program comes from Neighborhood Assistance Program tax credits.

Roten has been executive director of the Downtown Branson Main Street Association for 11 years. There, she oversaw several landmark projects, including the launch of a community improvement district with a 1-cent sales tax that supports a trolley system, the Branson History Museum and Murals Program, and a retail incubator.

For more Branson news, click here. This story originally appeared in SBJ’s Oct. 9 free e-news Daily Update. Click here to register.[[In-content Ad]]