Downtown Orlando

With her infectious laugh and smile Gert Garman instantly makes you want to be her best friend. You know immediately you will always have fun with her, no matter if you’re filing papers or out to brunch on a Saturday morning. As a Downtown resident for sixteen years and former Events Director for the City of Orlando, Gert has her hand on the pulse of what’s happening in Downtown Orlando and she makes sure to share that in her current position at Walt Disney World as Global Creative Development Manager. What a fun job right? Her current position involves doing creative brainstorming for Disney. What does this mean? She works with internal clients or partners across all lines of Disney business and facilitates brainstorms. “Our job is to spark and inspire people to come up with their own ideas. We then take those ideas and expand on them,” comments Gert. “Working here has even helped me learn more about the Downtown area. It’s made me stop and smell the roses so to speak. I love it even more.”

So how did she get into the business? All roads lead to Downtown…”I was working on an event for Mayor Dyer, the overhauling of the Walt Disney World Amphitheatre at Lake Eola, and my work relationship with Disney during that process opened up a new job opportunity,” she explained. “And really I have been working in some capacity with Downtown since the beginning. I went to UCF and at that time Church Street was the place to hang out, so I was Downtown a lot. Then after I graduated I left and moved to Tampa for two years where I was the Advertising Director for a retail chain. UCF Alumni offered me a position and eventually I went over to UCF athletics and I was once again involved in Downtown Orlando because our football games were held at the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. I then came over to the City and saw how with Mayor Dyer’s leadership he was breathing fresh air into the area. There were new building facades, retail, etc.,” she states. She always knew she wanted to work in communications and her career evolved with that purpose.

Originally from Lake Placid, Florida, a small town south of Sebring, Gert grew up in an area where her dad was the town barber and her mom worked at a nursing home. She is still close to her friends from high school and travels back often, but she calls Downtown home. “I really love living here. I came into Downtown at an opportune time. It’s great to be in the middle of everything. You can never be bored. Especially for myself, I have no kids and don’t need a cul-de-sac so it’s great to not be isolated, but also to know that if I wanted I could still have those things too. The great thing here is you become a regular at these places, you’re not the norm. I love Lake Eola, having brunch and then going to the farmers market. I want to get married at the ampitheatre,” she comments. “In Downtown your always six degrees from someone else. I love seeing the same people as well as having the adventure of meeting new friends.”

And judging from Gert’s ever engaging personality she will. On the side, in her spare time, she does voiceovers for Credit Unions and is working on her second book as well as a blog. She published her first book in 2006. When it comes to events and civic engagement she keeps busy. “I’m a member of the historical society. I think it’s important to keep the past in mind. I love Magic games and had a blast at Fanfare outside of the Arena when the playoffs were going on. I went three times! I also have season tickets to the Broadway Series and tickets to the upcoming Michael Buble concert. I can walk to Bob Carr and Amway from my house,” she explains.

So what assets does she hold most dear as a resident? “The mix of business and the fact that I can drop off my dog at the groomer, grab lunch, shop and go to the grocery store all within blocks of each other. One day there’s a 5k and the next you can attend a food and wine festival. In Downtown you’re not just existing, you’re really living.”