New Downtown Partnership Chair Erik Judson is the older one without the hair.

Holding Easton, his 5-month-old son, in his arms, Erik Judson was sworn in by Mayor Sanders as new president of the Downtown San Diego Partnership. Later, standing alone at the podium, Judson laid out an agenda for 2007 that is heavy on taking direction from the membership and continuing the goals of past chairmen, including bringing more jobs to the urban core.

Judson was the Padres man on the ground during construction of Petco Park. He has since formed JMI Sports where, from offices at Petco, he works on planning and developing sports venues and related developments in other cities.

As he chairs the Downtown organization’s 55th year — the group was born from the 1993 merger of the Central City Association (merchants and tenants) and San Diegans Inc. (owners) — he promises to provide value for members. “As far as I am concerned, I am in the customer service business and the membership is my customer base,” Judson says. “Members must feel as though they are getting a return on their investment.” The organization today has a record 350 members, a number he wants to grow.

Among his priorities is business attraction. “Very simply, more people working Downtown is a very good thing,” he says. “We are fortunate to have had the work of Lankford and Associates with Broadway 655 and Cisterra Partners with DiamondView Tower produce two beautiful new Class A office buildings. Now we must support other developers as they seek to add more supply to the Downtown market. To assist in this effort, the Downtown Partnership should lead a regional business attraction initiative to make certain that Southern California companies know that Downtown San Diego is a place that they should do business.”

— Tim McClain