Stephen Samuels - Director of Business Development

Stephen Samuels is the Director of Business Development for the Economics Center.

Mr. Samuels leads the Center's most recent business development efforts. This includes a renewed focus on education and economic development in our region’s urban cores, planning across jurisdictional boundaries, and a collaboration with UC’s Community Design Center.

Stephen combines his degrees in urban planning and business real estate with twenty years of marketing and business development to specialize in placemaking. His passion is for transforming locations into lifestyles, particularly by engaging stakeholders in the design and development process. As founder and president of the local non-profit Bridging Broadway, he collaborates with the City of Cincinnati and the downtown community on design and implementation strategies that will maximize the benefits of Cincinnati’s new Horseshoe Casino.

Stephen lives downtown and is active in business attraction and retention in Over the Rhine. He serves on the OTR Chamber’s committee that directs its Business First Program, which rewards grants to new businesses locating in the neighborhood. He is also a musician and actor, and can sometimes be found performing on stage or television promoting our local arts and culture.