Business attraction
Recruiting companies and retailers, from the final Newark site tour for the Amazon HQ2 bid to bringing a marine technology manufacturer to Rhode Island.
Hi!
I am EmilyNewark Economic Development Professional
Years of experience
14+
Tour attendees
3500+
Tours guided
350+
About me
Hello, I'm Emily Manz
I'm a Newark economic development professional with more than 14 years of experience in tourism, business attraction, small business, workforce, real estate, policy and destination marketing.
Today I'm Chief Business Development Officer and Director of Marketing at Invest Newark. I also co-founded Have You Met Newark Tours and have personally guided more than 350 walking tours of the city.
I serve on the boards of the Newark Regional Business Partnership, the Newark Workforce Development Board and Downtown New Jersey.
Contact meWhat I work on
Areas of focus
Small business + workforce
Business training programs with 400+ graduates a year, plus technical assistance for an estimated 500+ businesses a year at Invest Newark.
Tourism + marketing
Walking tours of Newark, Restaurant Week with 70+ restaurants, and a new logo, website, newsletter and social presence for Invest Newark.
Placemaking + retail
The $3.6M Retail Reactivation program, the report Unmet Demand on Newark's Commercial Corridors, and research for the Project for Public Spaces inclusive placemaking playbook.
Experience
Where I've worked
2022 to present
Chief Business Development Officer + Director of Marketing
Invest Newark
Defining and communicating Newark's assets, securing funding, and providing services that help businesses grow.
2012 to present
Co-Founder
Have You Met Newark Tours
Newark's only for-profit tour operator, bringing 3,500+ attendees to local coffee shops, shops and restaurants.
2020 to 2022
Executive Director
Preservation New Jersey
Led the statewide member-supported non-profit promoting the economic vitality and heritage of New Jersey's communities.
2016 to 2022
President
EMI Strategy
Boutique Newark consulting firm for economic development, business attraction, tourism and retail corridor programming.
2015 to 2016
Senior Investment Promotion Consultant
OCO Global
Investment promotion work including life sciences lead generation for the Japanese External Trade Organization.
2012 to 2014
Real Estate + Business Attraction
Brick City Development Corporation
Created Newark Tech Week and brought five new small business and entrepreneur programs to the city.
MA, City and Regional Planning, Rutgers. MA, International Relations, Central European University. BA, Economics (Honors) and BA, Political Science, University of Delaware.
Published work
Writing + research
Articles
Vibrant Flavors and NJ’s Storied Past Meet at New Jersey’s Historic Inns
Edible Jersey
Articles
A Letter from our Executive Director
Preservation New Jersey
Articles
New Jersey’s State Historic Tax Credit
Preservation New Jersey
Articles
Interview with Aidita Milsted, Director of Historic Preservation at NJEDA
Preservation New Jersey
Articles
In Defense of Reality in Downtown
Articles
I Brought a Backpack to Placemaking Week
Articles
A CEU Graduate’s Graduation Speech to a School on the Edge
Medium
Research
A Playbook for Inclusive Placemaking: Community Process
Project for Public Spaces
Research
Community College Practices That Serve Older Dislocated Workers
Heldrich Center, Rutgers
Research
Industrial Policy in Hungary and Slovakia
Central European University, 2011
Research
Book review: Politics and Policies in Post-Communist Transition
Europe-Asia Studies, 2012
Let's talk about Newark
Contact meSpeaking
Talks + panels
Better Light Rail: Connecting Hudson, Bergen + Essex Counties
North Jersey Transportation Forum
Mixed-Use + Retail + Placemaking
The Newark Summit
Winning the Deal: How Cities Are Attracting Top Retailers
ICSC New York
Exploring the Evolving Landscape of Film/TV in Newark
Newark International Film Festival
Opportunities and Trends in the Retail Industry
6th Annual New Jersey Retail Real Estate and Mixed-Use Development Conference
Downtown Hospitality
Downtown New Jersey Annual Conference
Stand Out: 10 Effective and Easy Ways to Promote Your History Attraction
New Jersey History + Historic Preservation Conference
Inclusive Impact: Forging Linkages Between Local Economies + Public Space
Project for Public Spaces Placemaking Week
In the Center of It All: Outside the Box Strategies for NJ Downtowns
APA-NJ Annual Conference
Hosting the World: Increasing the Economic Impact of Tourism through Tours
IEDC Future Forum
Perception and Economic Development in Newark: Taking Action
TEDxBroadStreet
Contact me
Get in touch
Location
Newark, NJ