Widdicombe has led the organization’s economic development department for the past two decades.
Washington, D.C. — Following a nationwide search, the DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) is pleased to announce Gerry Widdicombe as the BID’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Currently the nonprofit’s director of economic development, Widdicombe will step into his new role on May 1.
As CFO, Widdicombe will be responsible for overseeing all of the BID’s financial operations, including financial planning, budgeting and analysis, accounting, billing, and working closely with the board of directors and treasurer to ensure that the organization remains in good financial health and that its financial operations align with its strategic priorities.
“Gerry has served as the BID’s primary economic development strategist over the last 20 years, providing vital knowledge, insights, and analysis of key economic data and trends while also building strong relationships with our many stakeholders,” says DowntownDC BID President and CEO Gerren Price. “I know Gerry is ready to lean into this new role and give it his all, and I cannot wait to see what he accomplishes in this next chapter of his career.”
Widdicombe, a graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Business School, has extensive finance experience, having worked at Goldman Sachs for nearly a decade, arranging securities offerings for clients and helping some clients through their first-ever audits. He has also served as the director of special business programs at the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development during the administration of then–D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams. In addition, Widdicombe has served as board treasurer for the Rockledge Condominium, the Nora School, the National Cherry Blossom Festival, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, the Capital Fringe Festival, and Theatre Washington.
In addition to his work as the BID’s director of economic development, Widdicombe spearheaded the BID’s 2021 $1.15 million Pandemic Assistance Grant Program, which distributed 120 individual grants of $5,000 to $15,000 and was recognized by the International Downtown Association with an award of excellence. He also supported the BID’s finance team by leading the implementation of a successful short-term pilot investment plan for the organization and overseeing an audit of the billing information of the 600-plus properties that are within the BID area.
“The BID’s finance team has done excellent work for many years,” Widdicombe says. “I look forward to working with them and providing leadership to continue to provide timely and responsive financial information to BID staff and board members and expanding the BID’s revenue base through partnerships and growth in voluntary contributions.”