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Mark Rice of Callahan & Rice Works to Ensure Downtown Vibrance
business, downtown revitalization, fayetteville, shopping,
Two years ago, Mark Rice moved his insurance agency, Callahan & Rice, into the heart of downtown Fayetteville.
In his spare time, Rice works to ensure the continued vibrancy of that very downtown.
Besides operating the independent, multi-line insurance agency, Rice serves as president of Downtown Alliance, a nonprofit organization of property owners, business owners and citizens dedicated to enhancing the environment for business and growth.
As president, Rice is overseeing several efforts on behalf of the alliance, including re-establishing positive relations with the city government and the hiring of a full-time executive director to lead the alliance.
His business serves as a leading example of efforts to freshen up downtown. He bought and renovated a downtown building at 129 Franklin St., moving the agency there in 2006.
The agency’s new home, with 3,700 more square feet, allowed the company to grow to 10 employees.
“We still have some more space, and we’ll continue to grow in the future,” Rice says.
Story by Dan Markham
