STREETERVILLE — A Downtown neighborhood chock-full of new apartment towers — and residents — now also has a new community leader.
Debby Gershbein, 67, was elected late last month as the new president of the Streeterville Organization of Active Residents. A St. Louis native who's lived in the same Streeterville tower for 26 years, Gershbein succeeds Gail Spreen, who led the neighborhood group since 2010.
The election marked a quick ascension for Gershbein, who just joined the group's board last year. But she was immediately tasked with running the group's new farmers market at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave., which drew more than 70,000 visitors during its first run.
"It was a very interesting way to take [the group] to the community," Gershbein said.
A former marketing executive who has worked at Anheuser-Busch and Showtime Networks, Gershbein hopes to use her experience to draw more residents to the group, which covers a neighborhood that's getting bigger and younger with a rash of new apartment towers. The Streeterville group just celebrated its 40th anniversary this year.
"The dynamics have changed quite a bit," Gershbein said. "I consider this the launch of our next 40 years."
Gershbein, who is serving a one-year term, will not only work on boosting membership but also improving the neighborhood's parks and serving as the neighborhood's voice while working with aldermen and other city officials.
Spreen, Gershbein's predecessor, is a licensed Realtor and will continue, along with City Hall, to vet and shepherd new developments proposed in the high-rise neighborhood.
"We are excited to have Debby take the position as president this year as she is a very qualified professional," Spreen said via email. "Debby chaired the first SOAR farmers market committee this summer and did a fantastic job. We are sure she will continue this excellent work and will do a great job leading the organization."
Having been on the job less than two weeks, Gershbein said she's still formulating her agenda for her first term. But she's relishing the opportunity with a long-term view.
"Year one you're putting the plan together," she said. "Year two is when you implement."
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