DAA welcomes new president

Starting Feb. 2, Dewitt M. Peart will be the president and CEO of the Downtown Austin Alliance. Peart will replace Charlie Betts, who held the position for the past 18 years. Currently, Peart serves as executive vice president of economic development at the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, president of the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance and president of the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce. Peart spoke about the move in a statement released Wednesday. “I am truly excited about this opportunity,” Peart said. “Downtown Austin is the heart of such a dynamic region and the economic driver for the entire Central Texas economy. It’s hard to follow a leader like Charlie Betts, but I welcome the opportunity to work with our downtown stakeholders and partners, as well as the entire community.”