MidTown, Inc. Board President Tripp Wade announced the selection of Julio Portillo to serve as MidTown, Inc.’s third Executive Director. He observed, “I am excited about the future of MidTown and MidTown, Inc., and the selection of Julio to serve as our new Executive Director.” Wade continued, “We also celebrate the 8-year tenure and accomplishments of retiring Director Anne King. Positive transitions are themselves a blessing, and MidTown has been doubly blessed to have had two great directors [King and Mayor Teresa Tomlinson] who have left the organization immeasurably better than they found it and have transitioned out of leadership under the best possible circumstances.”

Portillo was selected from among scores of applicants in a regional search chaired by MidTown Board members Muffy Schladensky and Bennie Newroth. He has worked for twelve years as Regional Community and Bicycle-Pedestrian Planner for the River Valley Regional Commission, whose mission is to create, promote and foster the orderly growth and economic prosperity for a 16 county region. He earned a BBA in Marketing, and a Master of Public Administration from Columbus State University, where he currently serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Political Science Department, teaching public administration and public policy analysis.

Portillo served as a member of the leadership team for MidTown, Inc.’s Knight Cities Challenge-winning Minimum Grid project; has served as a board member and advisor for local and statewide organizations and economic development and community planning initiatives. He serves as a board member for the Chattahoochee Sailing Club, and sails competitively and recreationally. Julio and his wife Maggie live in MidTown with their two children—Edee and Jude—and four dogs.