ADVISORS
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Executive Director and Founder, Chairman: Scott Phillips Jr.
Scott Phillips Jr, a graduate of The Ohio State University, founded Cleveland City Living in April of 2006, and currently serves as Executive Director. With the help of a dedicated board of advisors and start-up funding from the Civic Innovation Lab, Scott has reached out to thousands of young professionals nationwide, educating them on the features and benefits of “City Living” in Cleveland. Over the past three years, he’s spoken to new-hire classes for Cleveland’s largest companies, lead trolley tours through the city, and helped hundreds of individuals find joy in living in and around Downtown Cleveland.
Now working concurrently as a Realtor with Real Living Inc., he has helped hundreds of people find homes in Downtown Cleveland and its nearby neighborhoods, aiding in the recent residential boom in the cities developing communities. Additionally, Scott serves as a volunteer for the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, the Cleveland+ Marketing Alliance, Detroit Shoreway Neighborhood, and the Historic Warehouse District, which allows him to be on the cutting edge of new developments in the city. With over three years of experience living and working the lifestyle he promotes, Scott is an expert at helping people find the chic downtown Cleveland home they’ve been dreaming about.
Personal: After living in three different apartment communities in downtown Cleveland, Scott Phillips Jr. currently resides in Cleveland’s Battery Park Neighborhood with his wife, Jenny, and their dog, “Brownie.” Scott presently serves as President of the Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin Alumni Association and Vice President of the Ohio Gamma Sigma Phi Epsilon Foundation. Additionally, Scott plays professional arena football, most recently as Quarterback for the Canton Legends.
Joseph Marinucci
Joe Marinucci, President of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, serves as chief advisor to CCL. Marinucci has served in economic development for over 25 years. Before joining the Alliance, he was President of its predecessor, the Downtown Cleveland Partnership, where he worked to help form a special improvement district. Prior to joining the Downtown Cleveland Partnership in 2002, Marinucci served as the vice president for real estate development for the Playhouse Square Foundation. From 1990-1994, he was the economic development director for the city of Cleveland and before that he served as the deputy director of business development and economic development financing for the state of Ohio. Marinucci began his career with Cuyahoga County as a community development professional. Joe currently lives in Westlake with his wife Dani, who is a freelance writer, and their four children.
Rick Batyko
Rick Batyko is the current VP of Regional Marketing for the Greater Cleveland Partnership, Director of the Greater Cleveland Marketing Alliance, and Chairman of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance Marketing & Branding Task Force. He has been heavily involved in developing marketing initiatives in the city and has served as an advisor to CCL since July of 2006. Rick has previously helped establish and implement brand and marketing strategies at The Cleveland Foundation, and has served in brand management and communications roles at Honeywell in New Jersey, Allied Signal in Elyria, Babcock & Wilcox in Barberton, ENSR in Canton, as well as two Ohio colleges.
Kevin Schmotzer
Kevin Schmotzer currently serves as the Director of Small Business Economic Development for the city of Cleveland under Mayor Frank Jackson. His most notable accomplishment for CCL was the development of the company relocation tours for PR Newswire, which were heralded as an overwhelming success. He has been an advisor to Cleveland City Living since its inception, and is a vital resource to many of the developers in downtown Cleveland.
"Brownie"
Brownie, affectionately named after his favorite football team, was the first employee of Cleveland City Living starting in June of 2006. He is the self-proclaimed, “Top Dawg,” for recruiting new residents to live in downtown Cleveland. Often seen walking the streets of the Warehouse District in the evening hours, Brownie has been directly responsible for charming over 100 women into living downtown! Brownie enjoys jogging around Cleveland Browns Stadium, socializing with the employees of Constantino’s Marketplace, and dining outside at Sunset Lounge.
