Last week I sent some questions to the new Broadway Market manager Tom Kerr to get a little background on him, his vision for the Market and why he took the job…the below are the questions with his responses.
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BFA: What attracted you to the manager position at the Broadway Market?
TK: There were several critical factors that attracted me to the position as Market Manager:
First – the significant need for a revitalization of the Market in support of the neighborhood, the City of Buffalo and Western NY.
Second – the challenge – I knew it would not be easy. Easy is for someone else, I thrive on challenges, impossible tasks and doing what others have not been able to do.
Third – I love Buffalo and Western NY – sounds corny but having lived and worked elsewhere, Buffalo is a unique and great place to live and work, many times we do not fully appreciated it. Let’s look at the half full not the half empty – we have so many great things going for us here in Western NY.
Fourth – My lovely wife was supportive of my desire to make a difference
BFA: Before the Broadway Market, give a little background on your work experience and how this experience will help you guide the Market?
TK: WOW how do you cover decades of work experience? I have a very eclectic background for this position and feel that the sum total of the experiences is what will help me propel the Broadway Market. I have had three decades of top-level managerial experience in the government, the non-profit and the private business fields. I worked for the United Way as the first Director for Economic Self-Sufficiency of Low Income Families. A mouthful but in this position I built a community coalition of over 50 agencies and implemented a plan to help these families build assets, becoming financial more independent and connect with programs to help achieve their goals. I was the President of a computer manufacturing company and built employment from over 50 to 125 employees at peak employment.