HUNTSVILLE – Rob Buddo of Birmingham has been named president and CEO of Downtown Huntsville Inc., effective Dec. 12, the DHI board announced Thursday.
He succeeds longtime CEO Chad Emerson, who left to join the Huntsville City FC soccer team.
“We are excited to have Rob join our organization,” said Tyce Hudson, DHI Chairman of the Board. “We have built a strong foundation for Rob to build on top of as he takes Downtown Huntsville, Inc. to the next level. Everyone has witnessed the positive synergy that DHI has helped create over the last nine years and our members and the community can expect even more excitement to come downtown.
“With several significant projects in the pipeline and on the horizon, the future of downtown Huntsville is brighter than ever.”
Buddo has been with REV Birmingham since 2019, focusing on the management of downtown Birmingham, specifically managing the Central City Business Improvement District.
“I am honored to usher Downtown Huntsville, Inc. into its next era of growth and collaboration,” Buddo said. “The city’s collective commitment to purposeful and sustained growth is just one of the many qualities that make Huntsville unique and this opportunity so exciting.
“I’m grateful for the strong foundation laid before me and look forward to leading this organization through many transformative years as Huntsville continues its rapid momentum.”
Buddo oversaw Birmingham’s CAP (City Action Partnership) program, the refresh of the city’s 20th Street North, the Upswing placemaking project focused on recruiting retailers to downtown, and programs to help businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Originally from Charlotte, N.C., Buddo graduated from the University of Alabama
with a bachelor’s degree in geography and an emphasis in urban and regional
planning.
He started his professional career in Birmingham working as a Catalytic Development manager for Main Street Birmingham, the predecessor organization to REV
Birmingham.
While working for Main Street, Rob focused on the redevelopment and management of properties in the city’s historic Woodlawn neighborhood. These projects included the redevelopment of seven vacant retail spaces, a 12,000 square-foot mixed-use
development, and assemblage of parcels for an awarded low-income housing tax credit project.
Over the course of the last decade, Buddo also worked in commercial real estate-related roles for CoStar Group in the Washington, D.C., and Houston markets.
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