Ep #129: City of Milton Economic Engagement with Anita Jupin, Economic Development Manager

Embark on a heartening journey into the bustling life of Milton's economic scene with Anita Jupin, our city's beloved Economic Development Manager. This week on the Good Neighbor Podcast, Anita shares a behind-the-scenes peek at organizing our cherished Crabapple Fest and speaks to how the City cultivates success for local businesses through its strong communication practices. Her multifaceted role is illuminated in vibrant detail, showcasing the intricate dance between commerce and community that Anita orchestrates with finesse and devotion.

As Anita pulls back the curtain on her life beyond city hall, she paints a picture of a world filled with the aroma of fresh sourdough and the earthy tones of a well-tended garden. Her story is one of connection—linking the hearts of local businesses with the spirit of our neighbors, fostering a Milton that thrives on mutual support and shared prosperity. Sit back, tune in, and be inspired by the passion that drives one of our city's most pivotal figures, and discover how you, too, can play a role in the ongoing symphony of Milton's economic harmony.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

This is the Good Neighbor podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Stacey Polar.

Speaker 2: 0:15

Hey there everybody. I'm excited to be chatting with Anita Jupin. She's the economic development manager for the city of Milton. Welcome, Anita. Hey Stacey, how are you? I'm good, I'm glad to see you and we're excited to chat and learn a little bit more about you. Can you start by telling us a little bit about your role with the city of Milton?

Speaker 3: 0:33

Yes, well, thank you for having me. I'm excited to talk with you today about my role. I am the economic development manager for the city of Milton. Basically, I'm the liaison for the businesses in our community, doing all that I can to support and nurture their success in our commercial districts. I also plan and organize Milton's signature fall festival, which is called Crab Apple Fest. It brings in over 35,000 attendees to Milton's downtown every October. In my role, I work closely with developers, with business owners and other agency partners to foster a business friendly environment.

Speaker 2: 1:18

Can you talk a little bit about your journey and kind of how you got to your current role here with the city?

Speaker 3: 1:24

Sure, my background includes marketing, financial underwriting, special events and hospitality, so I planned and coordinated weddings for well over a decade. I spent few years working in floral design in the events industry as well. Almost five years ago, I would say, I joined the city as the special events coordinator in the community outreach and engagement department. There I planned the city's events throughout the year, worked with local schools, local businesses, volunteer groups, faith-based organizations, non-profits, community partners. After two years in that position, I transitioned into economic development Awesome awesome.

Speaker 2: 2:10

I mean, I know that your job is a lot of fun, but are there some other things you enjoy doing when you have time to maybe spend some time with your family and have some fun?

Speaker 3: 2:21

I do I'd like to think I have more hobbies than I do time, but I do like to keep myself busy. I'm always dabbling in something I adore my garden. I spend a lot of time out in my garden and always looking for new and better ways to adapt. I've been learning how to grow culinary mushrooms at home and that's been a fun new project. I love to bake. A good friend of mine recently shared her sourdough starter with me a couple of months ago and I have fallen down a rabbit hole ever since then with that. So you know, aside from that, we love, we hike, we like to travel that kind of stuff Awesome awesome.

Speaker 2: 3:03

Now what are the things that you love about working for the city?

Speaker 3: 3:07

People. Honestly, I have met some of the most wonderful people. Through my role. I feel very fortunate to have connected with the people that I have. This community is so engaged, it's so tight knit and it's just a wonderful place to live and to work and just to forge new friendships along the way.

Speaker 2: 3:28

Awesome, awesome Working folks find you, so we thrive on good communication here.

Speaker 3: 3:36

We take that very seriously. Our response at times is also very important to us In the city. It's staffed with a lot of brilliant, caring, knowledgeable people, so we are open to the public. We do all we can to stay connected with the community, so people are always welcome to reach out to me, to give me a ring, to send me an email or to set up a meeting and find out different ways that we can work together and ways that I can support you in Milton.

Speaker 2: 4:03

Awesome, awesome, all right, well, thank you so much for joining us today. Anita, thank you so much for having me. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 4:10

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor podcast Milton and more. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNPMiltoncom or call 470-664-4930.