Edmonton Downtown Business Association names new leader

James Robinson, left, and Puneeta McBryan, right. (Source: Edmonton Downtown Business Association)

The Edmonton Downtown Business Association (EDBA) has named a new executive director for the organization to replace five-year incumbent Puneeta McBryan.

James Robinson is coming from the City of Edmonton and was previously the corporate Business Improvement Area (BIA) infrastructure specialist, said a media release from EDBA.

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Chair of the association’s board of directors, Mark Anderson, said in the release that Robinson was a “standout applicant.”

“His wealth of knowledge and track record in improving the vitality of city centres will be an incredible asset for the EDBA and Edmonton’s downtown,” he said.

Robinson has 28 years of experience that began with Toronto’s BIA on Yonge Street.

He also briefly worked in England at the Heart of London Business Alliance.

Robinson’s new job alleviates previous executive director Puneeta McBryan, who announced she was stepping down from her five-year tenure in late June but would stay on until a new CEO was announced.

The release noted McBryan’s dedication to her work over the last several years and highlighted her efforts in launching programs like Core Patrol, a program dedicated to making downtown streets safer to navigate.

Robinson officially joins the EDBA on Oct. 20.