The Carrot to the Stick: Identifying and Creating Local Incentives for Preservation

John Hedstrom is an urban planner and historian with over two decades of experience helping communities preserve their shared heritage and create sustainable development. From the west coast to the Midwest, he has authored, updated, & interpreted a variety of laws and policy documents designed to build, maintain, and repair historic preservation programs. Dr. Hedstrom strives to build consensus between architects, engineers, developers, citizens, and city officials to create context sensitive development which balances affordability, equity, quality urban design, bicycle and pedestrian friendliness, urban tree canopy preservation, and incorporation of vibrant public art.
Email: john.smoley@minneapolismn.gov

Paige Pollard received her undergraduate degree in City Planning with a minor in Architecture from the University of Virginia, and a graduate degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Georgia. Prior to establishing Commonwealth Preservation Group, she managed the Virginia Department of Historic Resources Local Government Assistance Programs as well as the department’s Tidewater Region Preservation Program. In that role, one of her duties was to manage the Certified Local Government program. Prior to working at the VDHR, Paige worked for the City of Norfolk as a historic preservation planner. In that role, she revised the local historic district design guidelines, expanded the Virginia Landmarks Register and National Register listed Downtown Norfolk Historic District, and reported to the Norfolk Design Review Committee, City Planning Commission and City Council on issues related to historic resources. Paige founded Commonwealth Preservation Group in 2004 and remains a Principal with the firm. CPG is a full service historic preservation consulting firm; within the firm, Paige specializes in building treatment projects, including historic tax credit applications, design guidelines development, and retrofit recommendations for historic properties. She is also a partner in Building Resilient Solutions, a joint venture established to collect empirical data through materials testing to inform resiliency and retrofits for historic resources.
Email: paige@commonwealthpreservationgroup.com

KimTrent serves as principal at Preservation Strategies where she works with commercial developers of historic properties to access financial incentives for their preservation projects. In addition, she works with non-profit preservation organizations to develop their capacity to save historic places across the country. Her background in historic preservation, community development banking, community organizing, and marketing provides valuable insights and long-term benefits for her clients. She formerly served as the Executive Director of Knox Heritage and has spent more than 25 years working in the field of preservation. She started as a neighborhood volunteer who led the effort to establish a local historic district in her Knoxville neighborhood. She went on to become board president of Knox Heritage and then became its first executive director. Working with a dedicated volunteer board and staff, they have changed the culture of the community to one that understands and appreciates preservation more than it ever has before and transformed Knox Heritage into one of the most effective and respected preservation organizations in the country. Throughout that time, she has worked cooperatively with the Historic Zoning Commission to protect Knoxville’s historic fabric. She served on the board of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and has spoken at National Trust and statewide preservation conferences multiple times over the last two decades. She has also mentored multiple preservation organizations across the country and shared her experiences with others across our field.
Email: Kim@kimtrent.com

Melissa Wyllie is the CEO and President of the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, the statewide nonprofit dedicated to the preservation and inclusive sharing of Florida’s history and heritage. She works to advance the vision, mission and programs of the Florida Trust by collaborating with its 23-member Board of Trustees and leading staff, volunteers, members and partners. Under her leadership the Florida Trust seeks to connect with a broader community to protect places of architectural, historical and archeological importance throughout the state. Her background in historic preservation also includes serving as president of Historic Nashville, consulting for the Tennessee Preservation Trust and collaborating with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She is a frequent presenter and spokesperson for historic preservation initiatives and campaigns. In addition to nonprofit leadership, she is a writer, has led marketing and strategic communications for a publicly traded company and founded and ran her own successful integrated communications firm. In Nashville she was recognized as a Female Entrepreneur to Watch and named to the 2016 40 Under 40 by the Nashville Business Journal. Melissa holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from the University of Alabama and a Master of Nonprofit Management degree from the University of Central Florida.
Email: mwyllie@floridatrust.org

Robin Zeigler is the historic zoning administrator for the Nashville-Davidson County Metropolitan Historic Zoning Commission. Previously, she served as senior historic preservation planner for the Planning Division of the Salt Lake City Corporation, and the preservation planner with the City County Planning Commission of Warren County, Kentucky. Her experience includes policy development, procedural improvements, commission support, legislation drafting, design guideline creation, and architectural resource surveys. She created and presented a certified preservation course for Realtors in Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, New York, and West Virginia. She is also a trainer for the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions and a former board member of the organization. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University’s Public History Program where she worked for the Center for Historic Preservation.
Email: Robin.Zeigler@nashville.gov