Conway named new Ada Main Street director

Richard Barron, The Ada News, Okla.
·2 min read

Oct. 29—Jessica Conway was recently named as the new Ada Main Street Executive Director.

"I started on October 13," Conway said Tuesday. She takes over for Marissa Tucker.

"I'm still learning what this job entails," Conway said. "What interested me about this position was the involvement in the community, and being a part of Main Street and small businesses.

"I grew up in a small-business family," she added. "My grandmother was a florist for over 43 years in Sallisaw, Oklahoma. She was part-owner of The Flower Cottage on their Main Street. So I grew up in this environment."

Conway spent the last 10 years working in children's ministry.

"I worked here in Ada at H2O Church, then moved to Kingfisher, where I was a full-time children's pastor there for four years," she said. "When I got married in November of 2021, my husband and I moved back to Ada. We both lived in Ada before, and we are both graduates of East Central University. I love Ada. I have people here who have become like my family, and so I was excited to come back."

Conway says she'd like to see Ada Main Street grow.

"I would love to see the community more involved in Main Street," she said. "I would love to see more events happen on Main Street. There are a lot of people making changes to support our downtown. The City has worked really hard to get the sidewalks and parks renovated, and they look great. I know it's been a hassle, but when it's done, it's going to be really great."

Conway said one of the best things going on at Ada Main Street is their Business Improvement Grant program.

"That is really helping with the restoration of old buildings," she added, "as well as allowing our merchants to really improve their buildings on the outside and on the inside. There are several places that will have upstairs apartments. I really think that's going to bring a lot to Main Street."

The Ada Main Street office is in the 100 block of South Rennie, just north of the Ada Public Library.

Ada Main Street has been a part of the National Main Street Program since 1987, and in 2021 AMS became an accredited Main Street program. The National Main Street Mission is committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.