Downtown Springdale Alliance hires executive director 

The Downtown Springdale Alliance (DSA) has hired Misty Murphy as the organization’s first executive director. Murphy will transition from her job as the Regional Trails Coordinator for the Razorback Regional Greenway, which is housed in the Northwest Arkansas Council. She will begin the new full-time position on Dec. 1.

In the new role Murphy is tasked to provide creative leadership, vision and management to support economic growth and vibrancy of the downtown and organization, advance several downtown-focused initiatives, craft the overall downtown experience and generate transformative ideas for the district.

The organization opened the position in early September, attracting 29 applicants from around the country. A hiring committee made up of DSA Board of Director members reviewed resumes and narrowed the process to nine phone interviews. Two candidates were selected for formal interviews with the entire board. Murphy was the group’s unanimous choice.

“We had a strong pool of candidates to choose from, but Misty really provided a solid vision for the organization, downtown Springdale, and downtown’s role in the region,” said Carl George, President of the DSA Board of Directors. “Her knowledge of Northwest Arkansas, her professional network and her passion for downtown really shined through in the interview process. We are delighted that she has agreed to be part of the team.”

Murphy has served as the regional trails coordinator with the Northwest Arkansas Council since 2013, during which time she promoted the 37-mile Razorback Regional Greenway and more than 200 miles of mountain bike trails in Northwest Arkansas. She oversaw the grand opening of the Razorback Regional Greenway in downtown Springdale in May 2015 and has helped position trails as an economic development and placemaking tool.  

She is a resident of Springdale and has worked with city leaders, schools and chamber of commerce regarding cycling and trail use in the city.

“I have been privileged to work on the Razorback Regional Greenway and have seen first-hand, both as a resident and as a trail advocate, the momentum building in downtown Springdale,” Murphy said. “I look forward to helping usher in a new era for downtown Springdale with the many stakeholders and groups that are already doing wonderful work in the city,” Murphy said.