New GQA marketing director has big goals

By Dave Fidlin

After years of neglect, earnest efforts have been undertaken within the past three-plus decades — many of them notably successful — to restore the deep historic luster of the Gaslamp Quarter.

Erin Liddell hopes to have a key role in taking those efforts to the next level as she settles into her new job as the marketing and communications manager of the Gaslamp Quarter Association (GQA), the business improvement district organization behind many of the special events and activities that occur within the 16 1/2-block Downtown hot spot each year.

Liddell, who officially joined the association’s staff Feb. 16, said she is brimming with ideas in her first few weeks on the job. One of her first large-scale endeavors includes a pivotal role in planning this year’s Taste of Gaslamp event June 26.

Considered one of the signature annual events within the Gaslamp Quarter, Taste of Gaslamp is being relaunched and expanded this year to give residents and visitors a glimpse into what the area has to offer.

While the array of participating restaurants will remain at the heart of this year’s Taste event, Liddell said inclusivity is a mantra as other venues — including art galleries, boutique retail establishments and historic sites — will be brought into the fold as well.

“We want to brand the event in a nice way so people know what the Gaslamp Quarter is really all about,” Liddell said. “There’s such a rich, rich history here and we really want to embrace it.”

In addition to Taste, Liddell is helping plan the upcoming neighborhood cleanup activity in cooperation with other nearby neighborhood associations and Downtown San Diego Partnership’s Clean & Safe program. This year’s neighborhood cleanup is slated for April 9.

Activities such as the neighborhood cleanup, touch on another goal of Liddell’s — to increase resident’s engagement within Gaslamp Quarter.

“This is an area that is for the locals, just as it is for the tourists,” Liddell said. “I want to begin reflecting this, starting with social media.”

While the large-scale events such as Taste of Gaslamp garner the most attention, many of Liddell’s day-to-day responsibilities are less noticeable to the general public. Behind the scenes, she said she is working to form a marketing committee to continue harnessing new opportunities of what the Gaslamp Quarter has to offer.

Event planning might be a core function within the GQA, but so too is liaising with the more than 400 disparate businesses that call Gaslamp Quarter home and hold membership to the organization.

Liddell knows what it is like to be one of those member businesses. Prior to assuming her position within the association, Liddell was a longtime staffer at the Chuck Jones Gallery, just a few blocks south of the GQA offices. For years, she had a seat on the association’s board of directors.

“It’s an incredible group of people,” Liddell said of the board. “They’re very good about working with the retail businesses and do what they can to drive traffic to the businesses.”

Liddell said she decided to leave Chuck Jones Gallery last June as she sought out new opportunities. One of the most difficult aspects of leaving the gallery, she said, was relinquishing her seat on the board.

From the get-go, Liddell aspired to join a nonprofit organization — a nod, she said, to her father, who died five years ago of brain cancer. With that pivotal experience in mind, Liddell said the nonprofit, development and fundraising sectors hold a special place in her heart.

“I’ve always enjoyed getting the word out, and making people shine,” Liddell said. “I like partnering with other people. We can help one another if we work together.”

The GQA, as it turns out, was a great fit for Liddell’s next professional foray in life.

GQA Executive Director Michael Trimble said Liddell was one of more than 100 applicants who threw their hats into the ring, though he is quick to point out that less than half of the prospects followed all of the details in applying for the position.

“Details are very important in a job like this,” Trimble said. “If you aren’t able to follow directions on a job application, you’re not going to be suited for a job like this.”

When Liddell’s predecessor, Brandy Shimabukuro, left GQA in November to assume a position with the city of San Diego’s Office of Special Events as its new filming program manager, Trimble said he and other GQA staffers took time and care in selecting a person to a post that will carry out many of the organization’s objectives.

From his perspective, Trimble said Liddell stood out from a crop of strong candidates for a number of reasons, including her vast knowledge of the Gaslamp Quarter.

“She had already been very active with [GQA],” Trimble said. “She also had a lot of knowledge, which is so important. We wanted someone who could hit the ground running. Erin has hit the ground running.”

To keep tabs on Taste of Gaslamp and other GQA activities, visit gaslamp.org.

—Dave Fidlin is a freelance journalist with a special affinity for San Diego and its people. Contact him at [email protected].