Sterling Main Street is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors: Parker Valdez, founder of Dealer Activation, and Brick Boss, owner of Boss Roofing-Siding Experts and a longtime local entrepreneur.
The addition of Valdez and Boss brings two energetic business leaders with different perspectives and experiences to the organization as Sterling Main Street continues its work to strengthen Downtown Sterling, support local businesses and encourage continued investment in the community.
Valdez may be relatively new to the Sterling community, but he wasted little time getting involved. For the past year, he has served as a volunteer member of Sterling Main Street’s Economic Vitality Committee as well as its Car Show/Cruise Night Committee.
Married to a longtime Sterling resident, Valdez has embraced his new community and quickly become an active and enthusiastic Main Street volunteer. His willingness to jump in, share ideas and help move projects forward made his transition to the Board of Directors a natural next step.
“Parker has brought great energy to Main Street from the moment he got involved,” said Sterling Main Street Executive Director Janna Groharing. “He asks good questions, brings fresh ideas to the table and, most importantly, is willing to roll up his sleeves and be part of the work. His enthusiasm is contagious, and we’re excited to have that energy on the board.”
Professionally, Valdez is the founder of Dealer Activation, a company that helps dealerships turn emerging technology and artificial intelligence into practical tools for their day-to-day operations. Before founding Dealer Activation, he spent 12 years as CFO of The Boat House, a multi-location marine dealership group. His background in financial leadership, dealership operations and technology adoption adds another valuable perspective to Main Street’s economic development efforts.
Boss brings a different — and deeply local — perspective to the board. A longtime Sauk Valley business owner and entrepreneur, he founded Boss Roofing-Siding Experts in 2005 and has spent more than two decades building and growing businesses in the area.
His business ventures include Dunk’s Restauant & Pizzaria. As a downtown business owner, he brings to the board the perspective of someone who is not only invested in the broader community, but also directly invested in the continued growth and vitality of the downtown district.
“Brick understands what it takes to start a business, grow it and keep investing back into the community,” Groharing said. “Having another downtown business owner at the table gives us an important perspective. He knows firsthand what business owners need, and he brings the kind of entrepreneurial mindset and willingness to invest that helps create momentum downtown.”
Together, Valdez and Boss add new voices to a volunteer Board of Directors made up of local business and community leaders who help guide Sterling Main Street’s programs, events and downtown revitalization efforts.
“We’re fortunate to have a board filled with people who genuinely care about Sterling and want to see our downtown succeed,” Groharing added. “Parker and Brick each bring something different to that group, and we’re looking forward to putting their ideas, experience and energy to work.”
To learn more about Sterling Main Street’s Board of Directors and Staff, click HERE
