“I love this community in all honesty.” It’s a sentiment that Dawn Hyatt has confidently expressed in a short three weeks of moving to Plant City.
She took on her new role on April 1 and has felt at home with the reception she has received.
“I’ve been very humbled with just how welcoming this community has been,” Hyatt said.
Her arrival came after being offered two opening positions by a Florida Main Street coordinator earlier this year and she chose to come to Plant City. She is originally from Seattle but has also called Texas her home.
Hyatt is retired from the Army after serving eight years in the U.S. and abroad in Germany.
“Ever since I was little, I wanted to be a soldier,” she said. “It was just something I was passionate about. Whether it’s been military or anything out in the public civilian sector, it’s always been public service. That’s where my heart is drawn.”
Hyatt continued serving others when she moved to Crestview to live closer to her son, who serves in the military.
There she got involved with the town’s Main Street organization.
As time went on, Hyatt decided that she wanted to venture outside of Crestview and seek a city in Central Florida to live. After visiting Plant City and experiencing “southern hospitality,” she decided to accept the job opportunity in town.
Walking along McCall Park she was constantly greeted by those who passed by, she recalled.
Whether a new resident or a tourist, Plant City Main Street will inform others about the shops, restaurants and other establishments that downtown has to offer, even providing a map of the region.
The organization hosts many events such as Last Friday in Downtown, the upcoming TopGolf Tournament 2022, Henry’s Hidden Train Hunt, and Food Truck Nights.
Since coming to town, she has seen the potential that has made Plant City what it is and sees where it can go further.
“We have some hidden gems in this city, especially in our downtown area that aren’t utilized, that should be,” Hyatt said. “Hopefully I’ll be able to bring them to light for the community.”
This can be accomplished with the cohesive teamwork of what she calls the four pillars: the Chamber of Commerce, City of Plant City, Main Street and the Economic Development Corporation (EDC).
Even the comradery between the downtown businesses has impressed her since taking her executive directing position.
“All the merchants – there is such a unity here that I haven’t seen anywhere else,” she said. “The merchants all like to help each other. It’s about we and how do we grow. What do we do for our community?”
While having a leadership role, Hyatt said she would still like to get a sense of how things operate within Main Street.
“I think the safest thing to do when you take over any new position is to watch how the wheels are already running, and if it’s not broke, then you don’t need to fix it,” she said. “But there’s always room to add to.”
In addition to the functions that Main Street hosts, she said she is looking forward to other events such as the July 4th celebration.
When Hyatt came to town last month for her interviewing process, she was unable to attend the Florida Strawberry Festival, but said that she got an idea of its popularity with the heavy traffic.
However, she is looking forward to doing amazing things for next year’s festival.
“I love that it’s put Plant City on the map,” Hyatt said. “I just hope we can come up with some other things that will just blow Plant City out of the water. I’ve come with a book full of ideas.”