Public relations executive and former county judge candidate Trish DeBerry has been named Centro San Antonio’s chief executive officer.
The nonprofit that works to make downtown San Antonio clean, safe and fun announced the leadership change Wednesday after Matt Brown, Centro CEO since June 2019, resigned, according to a statement from the board.
His resignation closely follows the unveiling in mid-May of the organization’s Downtown Tomorrow Strategy, a plan to focus its revitalization efforts on making downtown an enjoyable and safe place for both visitors and residents.
“Matt has been a tremendous leader for the organization,” said longtime Centro board member David Adelman, Area Real Estate principal. “He embraced downtown and understood the critical role it played for all of San Antonio. One of Matt’s greatest accomplishments was leading Centro through COVID.”
Brown came to San Antonio after serving as director of economic development in Santa Fe. He is resigning to move closer to family in his home state of California and plans to return to the private sector, the statement said.
“It has been an incredible ride in San Antonio,” stated Brown. “I’m proud of all we have accomplished from the Art Everywhere program, assisting hundreds of small businesses and launching retail Pop-Up incubators to all the hundreds of events in Peacock Alley, La Zona and Travis Park.”
Through Centro’s efforts, he said, the city has planned $83 million in new bond and Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone projects to improve downtown streets and infrastructure. The Downtown Public Improvement District that funds Centro is up for renewal this year.
Brown departs in July after a four-year tenure marked by the COVID-19 pandemic that crushed downtown business and tourism and by the sentencing of a former employee for embezzlement.
In August, a federal court sentenced Alicia Henderson, Centro’s former bookkeeper, to five years in prison in that case and ordered her to pay over $350,000 in restitution.
Following the discovery of the embezzlement in 2017, Centro’s then-CEO, Pat DiGiovanni, who had led the organization since 2012, resigned, although he was cleared of any wrongdoing.
In April, former Centro board member DeBerry assumed the role of interim chairwoman following the death of former chairman and developer Rene Garcia. Adelman will replace her as interim chairman of the board.
DeBerry resigned from the Bexar County Commissioners Court in late 2021 to run for Bexar County judge. She lost that bid to Peter Sakai. In 2009, she ran for San Antonio mayor but came in second to Julian Castro.
DeBerry is well-suited to the role of Centro CEO, said board member and developer Ed Cross.
“Trish has the perfect mix of private and public sector experience,” Cross stated. “As a lifelong San Antonian, she brings amazing energy, passion and ideas that, no doubt, will reinvigorate downtown.”
DeBerry acknowledged Brown’s work at Centro and said she hopes to build on that momentum.
“There is a lot of work ahead as we engage with partners to execute the Downtown Tomorrow Strategy, while addressing pressing issues today like office vacancy and continuing to improve our core business of making downtown clean and safe,” DeBerry stated. “I look forward to leading Centro to the next level as we make downtown even more beautiful and welcoming for locals and visitors alike.”
Centro San Antonio is a financial supporter of the San Antonio Report. For a full list of business members, click here.
