Main Street District welcomes new board chair, executive officers and board

Following a year of announcements for unprecedented growth, the Main Street District has announced its full board member list and slate of new officers for 2026.

Accomplishments and Appreciation for Outgoing Board Members

From new office construction and small business openings to the largest residential project the district has ever seen, 2025 was met with an abundance of announcements for the city’s urban core. In just a three-year period, the Main Street District will see investment approaching half a billion dollars, a doubled residential population, and increased connectivity to our contiguous districts.

The Main Street District also saw changes to the public realm in 2025 through public-private partnerships for projects like the Main Street Barklet, turning an overlooked space into a welcoming hangout for dogs and their humans, and a solid waste project to explore cleaner alternatives to the trash bins along our sidewalks – among other projects that are still in the works.

The success of the district would not have been made possible without the board of directors, which plays an important role in supporting the Main Street District staff. 2025 marked the end of Heather Mitchell’s two-year term as Board Chair. Heather, an avid champion of downtown vitality as the President and Principal-In-Charge at BOUDREAUX and a Main Street resident, has dedicated personal time and valuable insight to the district and will continue to serve on the executive team as Immediate Past Chair for the next year.

The MSD staff and board would also like to thank the following community leaders for their service as they roll off the board, effective January 1, 2026. These folks are champions of the Main Street District and the Columbia region, and we look forward to seeing their future successes

Raj Champaneri
Jason Caskey
Chad Elsey
Kristian Niemi
Dr. Richard Wasserman

New Board Chair & Executive Officers

We are thrilled to announce the new Main Street District board chair as Joseph Andrew “Drew” Painter, Executive Vice President at First Community Bank. Drew is going into his fifth year on the board and third year serving on the executive committee.

As a graduate of the University of South Carolina and 25 years of experience in commercial banking, Drew is passionate about the Columbia region and the development of the area. He has served as Board Chair for the Baptist Healthcare System of South Carolina, the Prisma Health Children’s Hospital, as well as the Prisma Health Midlands Foundation. Among many other board positions and accomplishments, Drew is a previous winner of the Outstanding Young Banker of the Year award by the South Carolina Bankers Association and is a graduate of Leadership Columbia.

“Having Drew step into the role as board chair will be a seamless experience at a very exciting time for the downtown area,” says Matt Kennell, President & CEO of the Main Street District. “He has been an integral part of our executive committee for years, providing strategic direction and a positive energy.”

The slate of executive officers supporting Drew and the MSD staff for the 2026 year are as follows – Julie Tuttle, Vice Chair (Styx Companies), Heather Mitchell, Immediate Past Chair (BOUDREAUX), Scott Garvin, Treasurer (Garvin Design Group), Jonathan Harvey, Secretary (Colliers), Jeremy Becraft, Public Space & Placemaking Committee Chair (Mast General Store), Beth Frost, Long Range Planning Committee Chair (Cohn Corporation), and Chris Lewis, Marketing Committee Chair (Core Spaces).

Welcoming New Board Members

The Main Street District is also welcoming several new board members this year:

Daniel Boan – Daniel Boan is Principal and Counsel at Cornerstone Government Affairs, where he launched the firm’s South Carolina office in 2024. Before joining Cornerstone, he spent more than a decade with the South Carolina House of Representatives’ Ways and Means Committee. Along with his cousin, Matthew Bridges, Boan co-owns the iconic Columbia restaurant Drake’s Duck-In, and owns 1544 Main Street, a historic 1872 building that was recently restored to house the Duck-In and The Flutter Wing by Hotel Trundle.

Erin Curtis – Erin Curtis is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Owner of Soda City Market. Under her leadership, Soda City Market has grown into a nationally recognized destination for small businesses, artisans, and community engagement. Erin served as the Event Director for the Gervais Street Bridge Dinner from 2016 to 2019 and will assume the role of Event Owner and Director in 2026 and beyond. Her focus on creative placemaking and economic vitality has made her a driving force behind Columbia’s growing entrepreneurial and cultural landscape.

Michelle Hardy – Michelle Hardy is General Counsel & Chief Administrative Officer at Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union, providing strategic leadership in legal, human resources & training, and administrative functions to support the credit union’s mission and expansion efforts. Previously, she was Vice President for Advancement at Central Carolina Community Foundation, and prior to that held senior development and teaching roles at University of South Carolina — including Interim Chief Development Officer.

Hunter Lambert – Hunter Lambert is the Assistant Vice President and Director of Real Estate for the Educational Foundation and Development Foundation at the University of South Carolina. Hunter is primarily involved with the management of real estate assets held in the USC Development Foundation and coordinates real estate gifts to the USC Educational Foundation.

Kevin Lindler – Kevin Lindler is the Mid-South Area Executive Vice President for First Citizens Bank and has been with the company since 2006, working for Wachovia Bank prior to that. Kevin has been very involved in the Columbia region, serving on boards for community organizations such as United Way of the Midlands, Transitions Homeless Center and the Columbia Chamber, among many others.

Tripp Roche – Tripp Roche is a lifelong Columbian and fifth generation of beloved Italian restaurant, Villa Tronco. In addition to being a student and helping run the restaurant, Tripp started Carolina Pong and leads Spotlight Columbia – an effort to light up buildings and public spaces so the city shines at night and feels more alive. Tripp is excited to bring fresh energy to the Main Street District and help Columbia reach its potential.

The full board of directors list and board meeting dates, which are open to the public, can be found on the Main Street District website.

About Main Street District

Main Street District provides public space management, economic development, place management, marketing services, and public advocacy for the 36-block area bounded by Gervais, Elmwood, Assembly, and Marion streets in Columbia, SC. The Board of Directors oversees the organization’s mission — to enhance the experience and economic vitality of the Main Street District area by implementing exemplary clean and safe practices, supporting the beautification and activation of our public spaces, and championing quality downtown development – while preserving our culture and spirit.