Bellefontaine Downtown Revitalization Honored with 2026 Mary Means Leadership Award

The Downtown Bellefontaine Partnership announced this week that three community leaders have received the 2026 Mary Means Leadership Award, the top honor from Main Street America. This award is given annually to individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership in preserving and revitalizing historic commercial districts, and the recipients are chosen based on their impact in building partnerships, inspiring local action, and promoting sustainable downtown growth.

Liz Parham, Ron Frantz, and Trey Sherwood each bring decades of experience supporting Main Street initiatives. Parham, director of the North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center, has expanded community engagement and secured over $53 million in grants, fostering historic preservation and business development in North Carolina. Her collaborative approach has helped more than 80 communities leverage public and private investments that have exceeded $6 billion, according to her organization's reports.

Ron Frantz served for nearly two decades as a design architect for Oklahoma’s Main Street program, completing thousands of façade renovations and building rehabilitations across 69 communities. His mentorship and design guidance have helped local leaders and volunteers develop the skills needed for sustainable downtown revitalization, contributing to over $773 million in reinvestment in Oklahoma’s historic districts.

Trey Sherwood, the director of Wyoming Main Street in Evanston, Wyoming, has been instrumental in supporting small business growth and community placemaking efforts. His leadership in fostering partnerships and promoting local entrepreneurship has strengthened Evanston's historic downtown, aligning with the award's focus on comprehensive, preservation-based economic development.

The award ceremony took place during the closing session of the 2026 Main Street Now Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As the recognition highlights, these leaders exemplify the kind of cross-disciplinary collaboration that keeps historic downtowns vibrant and economically resilient—a goal shared by Bellefontaine's own revitalization efforts.

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