The Hoboken Business Alliance on Monday said that, effective immediately, it is debuting a new leadership team headed by Steven Welliver as executive director and Natalie Chape as district manager.
Welliver is relocating to Hoboken from Los Angeles, where he has worked for the Downtown Santa Monica Inc. business improvement district since 2013, most recently serving as deputy chief executive. He brings extensive experience leading economic growth and development activities that include revisioning commercial areas, creating successful attractions and events, partnering with community stakeholders on capital investments and advocating for business-supportive legislation.
“Hoboken’s strong sense of community and unique mix of urban character with small-town charm makes an incredible foundation for growth,” Welliver said. “I am excited to partner with Hoboken’s commercial property and business owners and community leaders to help revitalize Hoboken’s local economy.”
Welliver takes the management reigns at HBA from Stuart Kopperweis, who, through his firm Economic Development Strategists, helped establish the HBA and manage it during its first two years in operation.
Chape started her work consulting for the HBA in 2018 with Economic Development Strategists. She was instrumental in the HBA’s formation process, which led to its inception in 2020. She has provided district management services to the HBA ever since.
At its core, the HBA’s goal is to bring more people to live, work, shop, dine and visit Hoboken. Today, at 1,300 members strong, its mission is “to energize and enhance Hoboken’s business environment and to maximize consumer engagement through collaborative alliances with businesses, government and community to create a place where small businesses desire to be and thrive.”
“The HBA was founded on the basic principles of creating organized advocacy for our local commercial property and business owners, and to invest in and grow Hoboken’s economy,” said Gregory Dell’Aquila, CEO of JDA Group and president of the board for the HBA. “After two successful, foundational years putting the building blocks in place and supporting our businesses through the challenges of operating during a pandemic, bringing Steven and Natalie on board now puts us on a path for great successes.”
