meet the da2 members...
each month we will be highlighting a different board member
of the Downtown Augusta Alliance
This month: Meet Curt
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Meet Your d(a)2 Board: Curt Young
By Christopher Selmek
Name: Curt Young
Position: d(a)2 Vice-President
Day job: Insurance Agent for Sanford, Bruker and Banks
How long have you lived in Augusta: This company that I work for has been here since 1915, but I moved here from Atlanta in 2003 and began working for Sanford, Bruker and Banks in 2004.
What does the Downtown Augusta Alliance mean to you: It’s a group that’s been active for the last two and a half years and tries to represent the residents, businesses and retail owners as one voice so they can be heard. You can go a lot of places to hear bad news about the downtown area, but we believe there’s also a lot that’s good about it, and we’re hopeful we can get the word out.
Why did you decide to become a member: My desire was to be supportive of the efforts to grow a more exciting downtown and help those others who started this going. I don’t see myself as much of a pioneer, just one of the comers on who saw what potential this group had.
What do you see as your role on the board: My role on the board last year was membership, and I believe that will continue to be my main focus as I get the word out and talk to people about the benefits of membership. I also hope to be the person who people can go to if they have any questions or concerns about anything that’s happening downtown, and I want to help in whatever way I can.
When you’re trying to accomplish something for an area, the more people you have then the more of a voice your able to speak with. Right now we have enough of an influence that certain decision makers, like the mayor or city planners, like to get our opinion when deciding what’s going to be happening downtown and about our future.
What do you have planned for January: I’m not sure that we have any events going on in January, but we will be having a planning meeting early in the year which will allow us to come together and think about some of the things we want to put together for the rest of the year.
What is your favorite thing about the downtown area: I love the personalities, where when I leave here to go to lunch you meet so many friendly people who are invested here. It’s typical to see the business owners working in their stores and restaurants, and it’s obvious they really care about their customers.
I’ve also been downtown for First Friday and several of the events we’ve put on over the years. I’ve even brought the kids down to see some of the First Friday shows, and we always have a good time.
What are some of your favorite places in downtown Augusta: I often go to lunch at the Cotton Patch or T’Boys, and Joe’s Underground is I think a hidden gem in this city. There’s a lot to see and do everywhere.
