Main Street Chestertown’s Strategic Plan

Sonia Huntzinger

April 16, 2025

After a brief background on the Main Street program, Sonia Huntzinger, Executive Director of Main Street Chestertown will share the recently released Phase 1 Downtown Master Plan.  Filled with more than 40 recommendations to improve and enhance the downtown Chestertown experience, Huntzinger will highlight the first six priority projects in the immediate pipeline as the initiative rolls into Phase 2.  The plan can be found at www.mainstreetchestertown.org/phase-one/ should there be an interest in viewing it prior to the presentation.
 

Sonia Huntzinger began her career in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania working for the Chamber of Commerce as event coordinator for downtown Bethlehem.  Her position grew to include the oversight of six Main Street^™ managers across seventeen downtown districts throughout the two-county region of the Lehigh Valley in eastern PA.

Following her time in Pennsylvania, Huntzinger served as director of a visitors and conference bureau in Central California where she crafted long-range tourism marketing strategies and managed public relations and communications for a burgeoning wine destination on the Central Coast.  

Upon returning home to Pennsylvania, she took a role in York, PA where she managed the downtown Business Improvement District, a geography of 26 square blocks of commercial retail, hospitality, and service businesses.

In 2013, Huntzinger earned the designation of Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).  This national recognition denotes a mastery of principal skills in economic development, professional attainment, and a commitment to professional growth.

More recently, Huntzinger held the position of economic development administrator for the Chester County PA Department of Community Development where she developed and implemented revitalization plans for smaller communities in the County.

After decades of visiting Chestertown as a tourist, and learning of the opening at Main Street Chestertown, she was thrilled and humbled to be chosen by the volunteer leadership to fill the position of executive director.