Although the city website has yet to be updated, entrepreneur and restauranteur Darryl Settles has been elected Newton’s new Economic Development Commission chairman. The EDC’s outgoing chairman, Chris Steele, is now vice chairman (as well as a declared candidate for alderman).
Settles is the president of D’Ventures Limited, LLC, a business consulting and investment company based in Boston, with a long resume of community activism and service on non-profit boards in Boston. I’ve known of him from his various restaurant and nightclub projects over the years, including Bob’s Southern Bistro (formerly Bob the Chef’s Restaurant) and presently Darryl’s Corner Bar & Kitchen.
(He is also presently a member of the search committee for Newton’s new police chief.)
Seems to me that kind of background and outside perspective should be a real asset in Newton. We’re lucky to have him.
He seems to have a wonderful background. He may have creative ideas on setting up public/private partnerships to save the city some money.
Do you know what his educational background is?
@tom: look here
I have heard great things about Mr. Settles and look forward to working with him and seeing him continue the momentum that has been built over Chris Steele’s tenure as Chair.
As I said on the Police Chief Search thread, Mr. Settles is a leading restauranteur/impressario in Boston who’s been cited for his leadership there on Channel 5. He will be an enormous asset as EDC Chair.
I don’t know Darryl personally but this I can say without reservation: Don’t miss the Sunday Jazz Brunch at Darryl’s Corner Bar in the South End!
Sounds like a very interesting guy. I wish him luck, Chris Steele is leaving big shoes to fill.
Thanks very much @Terry. Darryl is exactly the right person to take over the Chair now. I have enjoyed working with him over the past year and a half, and he has both the entrepreneurial push and the marketing know-how that we need now.
I’m very happy with what we’ve been able to begin on village vitality and look forward to continuing to play my part going forward.