A Perfect Fit
A Perfect Fit
Kimberly Rodriguez
Executive Assistant and Office Manager, NDD
Kimberly has worked at Newark Downtown District for 17 years. She manages Anthony McMillan’s calendar, handles office administration, onboards new employees, handles benefits and HR, and does some accounting on the side.
Her many responsibilities keep her energized and are a true fulfillment of the instincts she had about the job when she first applied. At the time, she had interviewed for, and been offered, a corporate job downtown, but before she accepted that, she had another interview — at NDD. After meeting Anthony, she knew it was the right fit. At NDD she was a person, not a number, and she knew she could make a difference. She took the job and never looked back.
And she has made a difference! For anyone who is a fan of NDD’s walking club, they can thank Kim. It was her idea. The club has been around for 10 years, meeting daily at around noon from May to October. It is free of charge and open to all workers and residents of Newark. The group walks around downtown for about half an hour with a fitness instructor. At the end of the season, a luncheon is held for all the participants. It is a popular way to get fresh air, exercise, network and build community.
She is grateful to have found a wonderful mentor in (CEO) Anthony McMillan. She had no background in government or business improvement districts, and she credits him with teaching her so much. This year she plans to continue her HR training to build up her skills and knowledge in that ever-changing field.
“You have to get rid of your preconceived notions about Newark. It’s a vibrant, 24/7 destination.”
Watching all the different ways that NDD has transformed Newark in the past 17 years just makes her motivated every day to do more. She especially loves the beauty of horticulture throughout NDD and seeing the displays change from season to season.
She is a New Jersey sports superfan: rooting for the Jets and the Devils. She even has remote-controlled lights on her deck that change color depending on which of her teams is playing!
Favorite Newark Spot:
Prudential Center to see the Devils play. “The bars on Edison Street on game day are electric with energy.”