Libertyville MainStreet director quits

As its lone full-time employee, Randy Nelson had his hands full directing MainStreet Libertyville, a downtown revitalization organization that sponsors 19 events every year.

With continuing pressure to keep the organization in the black plus a two-hour daily commute, it was inevitable the job he described as "your basic burn out position," would take a toll.

That came to pass Friday, as Nelson retired after three years as executive director of the volunteer-based group.

"It was not unexpected," he said Tuesday. "We just did remarkable things. It was very gratifying."

Pam Hume, who has been involved with the group as a volunteer and board member since its inception in 1989, is serving as interim director, a position she held before Nelson's arrival in November 2006. She was chairman of the board that hired him.

She said the organization's signature Dickens of a Holiday and Victoria Tea winter events will continue as scheduled and that the transition will be "as seamless as possible." A search committee will be formed to find a permanent replacement.

Devoted and energetic, Nelson, a local real estate agent, sold his Libertyville home about six months ago and was commuting from the South Side of Chicago.

He said he considered the MainStreet job as a transition until the day to day work became more of a grind than a pleasure.

"I just decided to retire," he said Tuesday.

Money was always tight, but within a year of his arrival, the organization was in a precarious financial state and in danger of folding. Memberships had dropped, village financial assistance was slashed and leadership made a rare public plea for assistance.

Though protecting its core of businesses, Nelson crafted a shift to a residential based membership.

"We're the only ones in the county with this funding model. That National Trust (for Historic Preservation) is studying us," Nelson said.

"We were lucky enough that we were an established organization. We downplayed the historical preservation aspect and sold the sizzle - all the events people love."

MainStreet-sponsored events, which span 74 days, are well known.

"A large part of it is the quality of our product like the farmers market," Nelson said. "We broke all the records."

Attendance to date at all events is 88,000 compared with the previous high of 76,000, according to Nelson.

The push averted a financial crisis. Membership peaked at 1,400 but has dropped to about 1,100. The concern going forward will be getting residents to renew memberships.

Though there are vacancies downtown, many new businesses have opened in recent months and Nelson believes the area is emerging stronger.