Jean Tanler has been settling in to her new role as Director of Development with SPAR. Please give her a warm welcome to the neighborhood when you see her.

A little about Jean:
Jean grew up in Jacksonville and recently returned home after living in New York City for many years. She worked in film and television, primarily in script research and development, before obtaining her Master’s in Urban & Regional Planning at Pratt Institute. Upon returning, she has found a renewed love for Jacksonville’s historic neighborhoods. She lives in Avondale where she is renovating her home and preparing for the first growing season of her urban farm. 

Jean is also a real estate investor, Realtor, and has seven years on non-profit management experience. Previously, she worked at the Business Outreach Center (BOC) Network, a micro-enterprise/small business development organization in New York City delivering customized business services to traditionally underserved groups, with a focus on low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs and their communities. Prior to BOC Network, she co-founded Local Labels, a retail company selling specialty foods and gifts made in NYC. Her experience also includes organizing and coordinating public involvement efforts as a Planner at Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, the Municipal Art Society, and the Regional Plan Association and organizing events and fundraising efforts at the Neighborhood Preservation Center, a non-profit resource center for the improvement and protection of neighborhoods. She is Secretary of the Board for the Jacksonville Real Estate Investors’ Association. She loves getting her hands dirty, scouring flea markets, and travel. 

On why she is excited about this job:
“My background is in community involvement, small business development, and urban planning. I’m excited about tapping into new sources of funding and developing programming that engages the community, allowing people to connect with their neighborhood. Historic Springfield is one of the best urban neighborhoods of the South. I look forward to advocating for Springfield and expanding its reach.”

On what she loves most about Springfield:
“I feel at home in Springfield’s diverse and tight-knit community. I have fallen in love with its historic homes, moss-draped tree canopy, and open porches. The neighborhood abounds with possibility. Its walkability, parks, and mixed-uses – not to mention its wonderful and welcoming residents – have set the stage for an urban renaissance in Jacksonville and make it one of the city’s most special and appealing neighborhoods.”