The Future of the West Side Market: Leadership Lessons from Rosemary Mudry
01:01
Carrie Aguilar
Hey, everyone. Welcome back to In Her Land, where we highlight amazing women who are leaders in their fields, in and around the land. I'm Carrie.
01:10
Mara Kamat
And I'm Mara. Each show, we sit down with women leading with purpose, the kind of women who build, rebuild, and reimagine our communities from the ground up.
01:20
Carrie Aguilar
Today, we're so excited to be joined by Rosemary Mudry, who has truly shaped the way Cleveland gathers, eats, and grows together. Also named one of Cleveland magazine's most interesting people.
01:33
Rosemary Mudry
Woo. Woo.
01:35
Carrie Aguilar
Rosemary is the executive director of the Cleveland Public Market Corporation, the nonprofit leading the historic west side Market into a new era.
01:44
Rosemary Mudry
Thanks for having me. Yay.
01:46
Mara Kamat
We're happy to have you here. Rosemary has spent her career in community development, leading west park cams, neighborhood development, Old Brooklyn cdc, and now overseeing the transformation of one of Cleveland's most beloved institutions, the west side Market. She's passionate about accessibility, equity, and keeping our city's traditions alive while helping them to evolve.
02:11
Carrie Aguilar
Welcome.
02:12
Rosemary Mudry
Thanks for having me.
02:13
Mara Kamat
So you've devoted your entire career to our community. Thank you for that.
02:17
Rosemary Mudry
Sure. My pleasure.
02:20
Mara Kamat
You focus on neighborhood development, local food, people centered leadership. What sparked this calling for you? How did you get into this?
02:29
Rosemary Mudry
I guess I'd go all the way back to high school. I always felt very lucky to be in the spaces that I was in, to be in communities that supported me. And I took a philosophy class in high school, and we got to study, pick a topic, and then we had to kind of analyze it and put it together. And I had picked education, and I remember studying a number of different aspects, but one thing that came up was the East St. Louis School District and really awakened to me the challenges that many communities face. And so I think my initial passion was around, this is not fair. It's not fair that I'm born lucky and somebody else is not born lucky. And that's the difference between what we get and our start in life.
03:23
Rosemary Mudry
And so I think that kind of just resonated with me. And then after college, I moved back to Cleveland and wasn't really sure what my game plan was going to be. I was doing some coaching and teaching and spending a lot of time in Cleveland neighborhoods like Ohio City and Tremont. And I saw what was going on, and I thought, this is a really interesting way to be a part of changing the trajectory of my community. And so I ended up leaving teaching and getting my master's in urban planning. And that's kind of really how I dug into things and learned so much about community development.
03:59
Carrie Aguilar
I love. I was just going to say I love that, but I really do. So I guess this is like, perfect segue to our next question. You mentioned Tremont, you mentioned Old Brooklyn, you mentioned Ohio City. What have those neighborhoods taught you about building community?
04:17
Rosemary Mudry
Great. That's another good question. Maybe I'm just going to say great question a lot of times. So I think what initially it taught me was Ohio City was a place that had some really amazing anchors. The west side market, St. Ignatius, you had Great Lakes. And I think one of the things that was so interesting to me was in those communities, people taking one anchor or somebody like Great Lakes taking a gamble on a neighborhood because they cared about it and saying, I'm going to reinvest here. And then I think what got me really excited in Tremont was the conversion of the old Bible Press building into apartments and thinking about, how do we take something that is beautiful and served a purpose, but it doesn't have that purpose, but we can still celebrate it and find a new purpose? And I think we.
05:08
Rosemary Mudry
What those. What those things showed me was that you just have to look for new ways and just have to create a vision and things. Just because they're old or just because they aren't what you want them to be right now doesn't mean they can't be again. And so I think those kind of. Those little things really sparked some interest. My first role in community development was with Ohio City, Inc. Doing the Near West Rec program.
05:36
Carrie Aguilar
Okay.
05:37
Rosemary Mudry
And so I think that really taught me a lot about community building. That. That program kind of rose out of this idea that the near west side neighborhoods were changing. There were more families moving in. How do we retain those families? But then also how do we recognize that there are people who have been here for a long time? And so it was both about providing amenities that would keep people who have choice in the city of Cleveland, but Then it was also about people from really different backgrounds. Folks who might be living in housing and folks who might be living on Franklin, being on the same team and building community together. And I thought that was such a special thing to do and just a reminder that we can be really intentional about developing programs, about thinking.
06:24
Rosemary Mudry
If we think intentionally about community, we can build it, and we can create opportunities for people to get to know each other across different backgrounds.
06:33
Carrie Aguilar
Oh, that's really wonderful. I remember when my husband and I were thinking about moving back to Cleveland from Arizona. My real estate agent actually lives in Ohio City, and she loves Ohio City. She loves Lakewood. She loves being in the city. And when she and I were having our, like, initial conversation, I just think her love for that area of the city really, like, came through. Like, at first, I was like, absolutely would not look in houses, at houses in Ohio City just because I was like, I have a young family. I want to have space, or, like, fill in the blank, whatever prejudice I have against whatever area. And she was like, well, just come town and we'll look at houses, like, in the areas that you want to see.
07:17
Carrie Aguilar
And then I will also show you houses, like, in Ohio City and Lakewood. And I freaking fell in love with. I mean, every. Like, the way that they're doing development, the way that they're pouring money into it, but also the way that they're building community is so incredible, I think. Yeah. So well done. I know it's all you, so.
07:39
Rosemary Mudry
Yeah, of course.
07:40
Carrie Aguilar
So when you look back at your early career, maybe even those first few years that you mentioned at the Near West Recreation, what moments or lessons do you think have shaped you today? Like, what have you brought through today?
07:55
Rosemary Mudry
You guys are asking deep questions.
07:56
Carrie Aguilar
I know, I know. I'm sorry.
07:58
Rosemary Mudry
So I guess thinking through, I actually think some of the early lessons that I've applied to community development and now to the west side Market, actually drive back more. When I was coaching high school sports and as a teacher and thinking about, you have a classroom full of kids or you're coaching kids, but you have all different parents. And I think, you know, being really transparent with people about what you want and what your goals are and what your expectations are, I think those are some of the really early lessons from my career that I think have applied throughout and is what I've tried to bring to whatever role I've had, whether it was near west rec coordinator, you know, leading cams, or now at the west side Market, is, you know, is everybody gonna always like every decision I make, I don't know.
08:47
Rosemary Mudry
But if I'm transparent, if I lay out my expectations and I'm genuine, people will understand where I am and it'll make it easier to make progress because they'll know where I stand on things.
09:01
Mara Kamat
I love that as you look back at these incredible projects you've been a part of, which one stands out for you as like you are most proud of and see such a significant impact.
09:13
Rosemary Mudry
And why I don't think I could pick one project, but I guess I'll pick one moment that I think helped continue to change the trajectory of my career and help me think about what I wanted to do next. When I started my role in. In Old Brooklyn, one of the things that the executive director had said was our organization has done a lot of work in housing, and we've done some small business support. But one of the biggest challenges here is leading Main street and how do we attract private investment, how do we signal that it's possible to do commercial redevelopment? And so we kind of developed this goal that our goal was to be able to set the tone in the community around purchasing a commercial building and renovating it and being able to rent it out.
10:02
Rosemary Mudry
And it took a few fits and starts. We had made offers on several buildings that didn't go through. We got pretty far one project, and the bank pulled out. But ultimately we ended up renovating a building on Pearl Road that has the very tall Old Brooklyn sign on it. And when we got that project done, I think it was a really special moment because we had to. We had to bring along our board, we had to bring along the community. We gave, I think, a sense of encouragement to so many folks who had made Old Brooklyn their home, who loved the community, and then they saw somebody doubling down and investing in a really big way, and they felt like people care. And I think it's what's happening in Old Brooklyn now. Obviously, there's other factors involved, but it.
10:46
Rosemary Mudry
It really did signal to others. And there's been a lot more investment in a lot of other projects that are now coming along the pipeline that I, you know, maybe they would have come about or maybe not. But I definitely think that kind of being the first to lead and say the reason we are here as a nonprofit and a community development organization is to do the things that the private market won't do on its own. We have to do the public good and set the tone, to be able to set the market right, to be able to attract additional investment.
11:20
Rosemary Mudry
And so even Though those projects are hard and they can be risky for an organization, I think I felt really proud that were able to help show that value to the board and lead them to the conclusion that those were the types of projects we should be doing in and those kinds of risks we should be taking.
11:35
Mara Kamat
I appreciate that you shared the journey because it wasn't easy. You had to be resilient. You had fits and starts. And I think that's always a really great message to our listeners that like these big moments don't always come easy. And having to start and stop and rethink maybe an approach is okay and look at the impact that you can have.
11:55
Carrie Aguilar
So before we dive into your work with the Westside market and what you were help building there, I thought it would be fun for us to talk about what connects all of us so transparently. I have known you since, I'm just telling the audience since like 1996. Rosemary and I went to the same single sex school, which is actually, it's called Laurel School. And we both played field hockey on the same team. So she was a year older. She was a friend of my sister's. My sister was also in her grade as well. And Mara and I and Rosemary, we all have daughters at the same school.
12:29
Carrie Aguilar
So I wanted to ask a question about the benefits of single sex education and how you have made the decision to send what Laurel means to you, but also how you've made the decision to send your daughter there.
12:42
Rosemary Mudry
Oh, I love that question. I could talk all day about that. So for me, it was an incredibly meaningful experience. Personally, I think, one of the things that's special about an all girls environment or an all boys or single sex in general is that, you know, the prejudices that come along with a co ed classroom don't really exist because no matter what, a girl has to be the best and the worst at everything. The best at sports and the worst at sports. And so I think that really sets an example of there can't be a vacuum of people not stepping up. A girl has to step up for everything. They have to step up and answer the question in class. They have to step up and be the class president. They have to step up and do all of those roles.
13:28
Rosemary Mudry
And I think what that does is it allows girls especially to believe that they can do all of those things. They have seen their peers do all of those things and then they go out into the real world. And when somebody's like, I don't know if girls can do that or Women can do that. They're like, well, I know they can because I've seen it firsthand. And so I think that's an incredibly powerful experience. And I've been with some other folks who attended all girls schools recently and they've told stories about when they got to college, their professors immediately being able to recognize that they came from an all girls school because they were the only girl in a class of mostly boys that spoke up or other opportunities like that just presented themselves. I think another great examp.
14:18
Rosemary Mudry
Being confident in your own voice. And so folks will ask, like, you seem so relaxed and you like when you have to speak to people, like, why do you think that is? And I think part of it is just you were taught that innate self esteem and comfort with yourself. You feel okay with who you are. And I think a lot of that comes from being in an environment where there's a lot less external pressure. You know, you're not, you know, you're going through puberty. You're not trying to impress people in the same way. And I think that makes a really big difference. So I'm all in on all girls.
14:58
Carrie Aguilar
I love that.
14:58
Mara Kamat
I think we're all in.
15:00
Carrie Aguilar
Yeah, right.
15:00
Mara Kamat
Like, I'm all in too. I see the impact that it's had on our daughters in such a positive way.
15:06
Carrie Aguilar
I second all of that. I'm a huge fan and I love seeing the impact. I mean, it certainly had an impact on me, but I love seeing the impact it has on my daughter.
15:16
Rosemary Mudry
I have one more story. Just, I think you guys will appreciate this. So when I was in my 20s, I joined this young alumni group and were thinking of activities. And so one of the activities was to bring alumni back to the school and experience the high ropes course out at Butler.
15:36
Carrie Aguilar
Oh, that's amazing.
15:37
Rosemary Mudry
And were allowed to bring spouses and things like that. So my husband, I think were just dating at the time he came and, you know, heard me talk about Laurel all the time. And you know, I had worked at Laurel and all these things and I had, you know, always talked about how meaningful an all girls education was. And I can even cry a little bit when I say this. But we did the higher ropes course and he was like, I can't imagine being a kid doing this. Like, I understand now, like, this is all worth it. Like, how empowering would that be?
16:06
Carrie Aguilar
Yeah, it's incredible.
16:08
Mara Kamat
And like, take that a step further. The fact that the third, fourth and fifth graders get to like, be out there in that environment, learning and immersed in it. Like, I sent my youngest there starting in preschool, and she wouldn't talk to anybody. She was just by nature, very introverted. She wouldn't look at you. She always looked at the ground. And now, like, fast forward. She's 10. She's going. She's in fifth grade. And, like, she will look at you. She will have a conversation with you. She is much more confident and purposeful. And I attribute that to Laurel. I attribute that to, like, outdoor education in a way, too. Like, them getting out there and taking risks.
16:52
Mara Kamat
And like, in third, fourth, and fifth grade, they spend so much time on that high ropes course or in the gardens and just, like, immersed in their learning and experiencing it and building those foundational skills. So I'm with you, like, genuinely, though, I'm. My daughter just had her bat mitzvah.
17:14
Carrie Aguilar
And oh, my God, she did so well.
17:17
Mara Kamat
Like, and I'm not a parent. That would be, like, my kid was amazing.
17:21
Carrie Aguilar
She nailed it. I will, as a friend, I'll say she nailed it.
17:24
Mara Kamat
It's amazing. And again, I attribute that to Laurel because she got up there. It was a three hour service. Of that three hour service, she had almost two hours. Her speech in English, her haftorah, her Torah portions, the service itself, the candle lighting, like, the ability to do that at 12 and a half was, like, so incredible. And I'm so grateful that she has the skills and the confidence to do that. So you're leading one of Cleveland's most visible civic organizations, thanks to Laurel.
17:56
Carrie Aguilar
No, I'm just kidding. Sorry.
17:57
Mara Kamat
What has the experience been like as a woman in these spaces that have been historically male dominated?
18:04
Rosemary Mudry
So for me, I don't want to say I don't notice because I do sometimes notice being the only woman in the room. But I think I feel confident enough in who I am and what I bring to the table to feel. To always feel like I can be a part of the conversation. When I was getting into community development, there's a lot of women in community development, but there weren't necessarily a lot of women executive directors or they were in one type of role, as opposed to on the economic development and the real estate side of things. And that was really the side of things that I was gravitating more towards. And so I definitely feel like one of the things that's important is to remind other people and to let other young women know that it's possible. And it's.
18:51
Rosemary Mudry
You know, I feel like it's important to be a Strong leader and be kind. And when people reach out to me to really go the extra mile to. So that women, other women and young women feel like they have an opportunity to be connected. We know that social networks and networking is such a powerful tool, and I think it's something that, you know, I still see to this day. There's just. I don't want to call it the old boys club, because I don't feel like I've encountered it that directly before. But I just. I think that when there's less women for other women to network with. And so then there's, like, less and maybe it shouldn't be that way.
19:35
Rosemary Mudry
And I think there's been so many wonderful, like, men in my career and in my life who I've been able to, like, build partnerships and mentorships with. So that have been really important. But I do think just being that person that says yes when other young women, like, want things, is so critical and just, you know, every time I'm in that room representing myself well, feeling like I. Making sure folks know that, you know, what I'm saying is gonna matter in this situation, and just reminding, you know, reminding people gently that, you know, we're all here to work on the same thing and get things done together.
20:16
Mara Kamat
You talked before about feeling lucky, but part of feeling lucky is also, like, if we're being honest, it's privilege.
20:24
Rosemary Mudry
Correct.
20:26
Mara Kamat
How have you recognized that and used it to better the community while still being able to relate to the broader community population?
20:36
Rosemary Mudry
So, yeah, I used the word lucky, but you're right. What I also meant is privilege. Right. So I felt incredibly privileged to be. But it was lucky that I had that privilege. Right. Like, I could have been born to somebody else, or somebody else is born to somebody else, and they have less privilege, and it's the luck of the draw, who you're born to, where you're born, all of those things, you know? And so that privilege, I truly feel like. I think some of that is from family and, like, values from your family, but that, you know, the concept of, like, when you have privilege, it's your responsibility to do good with it. Like, you should do good no matter what, but the more you have, the more it's your obligation to share and do right by the influence you have.
21:26
Mara Kamat
Yeah, I mean, I say that to my kids all the time. To those that much is given, much is expected.
21:32
Carrie Aguilar
Yeah, I actually was gonna write that in Liv's Bat Mitzvah, but then I was like, I think that's a little bit two pointed.
21:38
Mara Kamat
So I love that I say it.
21:40
Carrie Aguilar
All the time, but it's so true. It's like, I mean that's what you can do with what you have and making sure that if you have a lot, you do a lot.
21:49
Rosemary Mudry
Yeah. And I think what I, the thing that I had the most of was a supportive family and their commitment, even when it was financially difficult to get me a really outstanding education. And so now it's, you know, how do I be a part of building a world where more young people can get a good education where the zip code you're born into and that you grow up in doesn't necessarily determine much of the outcomes of your life. And part of the way you do that is by building healthier, stronger, better communities that have access to all important things. Right. Like having not every storefront be empty. All of those things are important and signal to people something about their worth.
22:34
Rosemary Mudry
You know, when you walk down the street and it's filled with trash and everything's empty, you know, what does that say about the place where you're from and how does it make you feel? And so all of those things I think are critical to helping people feel like they're worth something. And when people are feel like they're worth something, then they're going to go out and do more and they're going to be contributing members of society and they're going to have a better life too. And I think all of those things are what drive me to community development, but also why I feel so attracted to roles that allow me to do that. Because I feel like, I think the strongest thing that I felt was that everybody deserves what I have and it shouldn't be special, it should be standard.
23:24
Carrie Aguilar
Or expected or normal.
23:26
Rosemary Mudry
Exactly.
23:29
Carrie Aguilar
So you touched a little bit. So rewind. Like 3 minutes ago you started talking. You didn't say the word, but we'll say it. Mentorship and mentors and how you think it's really important, which I agree to mentor other women. Can you speak to potentially any mentors you have had and what the impact that they have had on your career and your life and your outlook.
23:51
Rosemary Mudry
I've had, I don't know if I've had one like one strong mentor, but I think there have been a slew of people who have helped shape the path that I'm on. You know, you did speak to like being in some more male dominated fields or male dominated places of leadership. And so I do feel like because of that I've had more opportunities to have men who have influenced me. Whether it was Norm Krumholtz at Cleveland State in the planning department who really introduced me to community development, whether that's, you know, colleagues who. I think, you know, just. It's amazing when you have a boss who, like, not only just respects women, but, like, there's no. There's no underlying sexism there, and that. That makes a big difference.
24:39
Carrie Aguilar
Yeah, that's amazing.
24:40
Rosemary Mudry
And so I think those kinds of things.
24:42
Carrie Aguilar
It shouldn't be.
24:43
Rosemary Mudry
Yeah, but it.
24:44
Mara Kamat
But it is.
24:45
Rosemary Mudry
And those kinds of things make it possible to grow. To grow. I. You know, I. I think also in terms of mentoring, just. I had my mother, but also both my grandmothers alive for my entire childhood and into my adult life. I still have a grandmother alive. So I think having women who stood tall to their convictions, who were willing to stand up for things that they cared about, those were really strong. I had good relationships with them. And I think those relationships really provided a foundation of, like, you can do this when it's hard.
25:21
Carrie Aguilar
Right.
25:22
Rosemary Mudry
The women in my life have shown that you stick with it and you keep going. And so I think that set the foundation really moving forward.
25:31
Mara Kamat
We love to spotlight women who are building communities and community in ways that might not look traditional. What would you say to a young woman, or even, like, an older woman who doesn't see themselves as a leader? What amazes me is, like, recently I've had this conversation with young women, right. My daughter's age, but also, like, adult women our age and beyond, who have said to me, I'm not a leader. So what do you say to that? What do you say to them?
26:01
Rosemary Mudry
Well, I think there's a difference between being in a leadership role and being a leader. You might not be in a leadership role, but if you are bringing qualities to the table, which set a positive example, whether it's at work on part of your team, whether it's supporting others, like, all of those are aspects of leadership, whether or not your title is leader or director or whatever. I think leadership can show up in many different ways. Whether that's. I think leadership can be as simple as somebody is unkind to your friend and you're willing to say something, you know, I think those are all moments of leadership, and so we can all be leaders in our lives in important ways. But I don't think we have to have the title of leader or be in leadership.
26:55
Rosemary Mudry
I'm using air quotes which you can't see because this is a podcast to serve important roles and help shape the future. So I guess I would just say every role is important in every.
27:06
Carrie Aguilar
You just talked about like your grandmothers even. I have no idea what they're doing at 90 years old, but I'm assuming they're not leading a company. I guess they could, but I'm just saying, like you're just saying, you were just saying you just spent the last five minutes talking about the impact that these women have had on your lives. And they don't. They didn't necessarily have the title of CEO of Rosemary's future exact.
27:30
Rosemary Mudry
Exactly. And I think, you know, while having women in leadership roles, like official titles and things is important and it's, you know, it's critical for people to see their future. I also think we underestimate just the importance of every role and the different places on a team. Sometimes our place on a team is to be the teammate and to be the colleague and it's important to recognize those moments. And it's a different kind of leadership. But ultimately all of those aspects are important. But we can all be leaders in our lives in different moments and in different ways. It doesn't have to be a permanent status.
28:14
Mara Kamat
I appreciate that.
28:16
Carrie Aguilar
So shifting gears to what you're doing now, you're executive director of essentially the west side Market. I've been a huge fan of the west side Market since I was a child. And I'm sure you've had thousands of people tell you that very same thing. So what are you, I guess in your mind it was said that you'd like to make it the nation's premier public market. What does that mean to you?
28:44
Rosemary Mudry
What it means to me is that it's a place that's doing the things that have been done well for many years, continuing to do them right. It's honoring our beautiful building. But it's thinking about what the next 100 years requires of a public market to be outstanding and making sure we're shaping it in ways that provides those meaningful experiences and the things that, that make it special in the future. I think we really already have the most beautiful market building in the nation. We have great fresh food and groceries. We don't have public seating. We need to have a sustainable model so that we can exist. So I think for me those all elements and then the other piece of it is there's a reason that the city didn't transition it to a for profit developer or something like that.
29:36
Rosemary Mudry
The market has this ability to, you know, it's always had an impact in the community. It has jobs, small businesses, local economy, healthy food. So it's not that it doesn't have already tremendous impact, but there's so much more we can leverage with every aspect of the market. The. The fact that most people know the market, the fact that it's one of the most recognizable buildings, those are all things that, for me, are really exciting to leverage because there's people trying to solve really important problems in the community, like hunger and food access and things like that. And my greatest hope is that the market can be a conduit and can use its leverage and status in the community to do those pilots, make those things a reality.
30:23
Rosemary Mudry
Everything from nutrition education to helping kids learn to budget, make a meal, those kinds of things, to honoring the next generation and getting young people excited about being entrepreneurs. All of those things are ways that we can contribute to the community. And so I see the market as this. When it fulfills its sort of destiny and is the premier thing, it's really living up to its full potential. Right. How do we help it live up to its full potential? And then it will be the premier market in the nation. I feel certain of that.
31:00
Carrie Aguilar
I think that's wonderful. I can't tell you how many times we go. Probably, I would say, on average, twice a month. And it's always like, a Saturday morning or a Sunday morning, and we always get donuts, and we always just walk around. Or bratwurst. Probably both. But it's.
31:20
Rosemary Mudry
You gotta balance the sweet and the salty.
31:22
Carrie Aguilar
Sure. For sure. And then I always get the produce salespeople are very good. They're very good at their jobs. So I always walk out with, like, 80 bucks worth of produce. And I hope that I can, like, eat, like, $30 worth of it because it's so much that I end up buying. But, yeah, I absolutely love it.
31:40
Rosemary Mudry
If your kids are like mine, the amount of grapes they can consume in one. Oh, my gosh. Is terrifying.
31:47
Carrie Aguilar
I will say that I think she got it from someone like, I love grapes. So. So, yeah, so there's that. But I think it's incredible. I love the. The free. There's always, like, a free book. We have lots and lots of free books on our shelves. From that. From that. I don't know what it is, but.
32:03
Rosemary Mudry
Like, yeah, it's a partnership with the Cleveland Public Library and Kids Book Bank.
32:07
Carrie Aguilar
Oh.
32:07
Rosemary Mudry
I think that's just one example of, I think, why we're here as the nonprofit. Right. It's like, how. How can the market fulfill its potential? Well, if we Have a vacant stand. Let's. Let's use it. The library is trying to get more kids to be reading. And there's also information out there that shows when people have, like, a home library or books at home, that just having them in the house helps kids read, helps kids be more interest. So if we can be. Again, we have 800,000 people coming through our doors. If we can give somebody the space to do that and give them the platform, then those are the ways that we can be making an impact. And I think, you know, the partnership with the library has been super successful in that way.
32:49
Rosemary Mudry
They were trying to give away, and they were doing, like, this Cleveland Reads program, and they were really trying to kind of grow the number of people participating. And so they had approached the market about being there, and, you know, within a month or two of being there, they were. They were, like, really starting to hit their stride and get people in there, because people are already there. And so it's, you know, if we want to kind of change things, if we want to make an impact, we have to go where people are, and we're lucky that people are at the market. So let's use that to our advantage.
33:26
Mara Kamat
Have there been other partnerships that you've seen this level of success and engagement with?
33:32
Rosemary Mudry
We're just getting started, so I don't know if we've had as that large of a variety, but we have some other programs that I think are pretty impactful around food access, like produce perks and things like that. And the produce perks program is primarily at farmers markets. It helps address agriculture and helps make healthy food more accessible. So it basically doubles people's doll to spend on produce at farmers markets. They had to tailor it a little bit differently to the market. But essentially, we give out these coupons quarterly that are for fresh and healthy produce, and those coupons that are given out at the market have the highest redemption rate in the state. So I think we're excited. Like, we're very excited about that partnership. And, you know, I think those are just early things, and it has potential to go a lot further.
34:26
Rosemary Mudry
There's also been a couple pilots around food as medicine type of programs. And so one of the. It was a small pilot, but it looked at diabetes. And so doctors would actually be able to prescribe people like free produce, like at the market. And some of the early data came back. You know, more than 50% of people lowered their A1C way more than the majority of people were eating more healthy foods and fruits and vegetables. They basically all of the participants said they had more access to healthy food, 30% or more went off or lowered the amount of insulin they were using. So, I mean, and this is like a short pilot, not something that went on forever. And so I think these are the kinds of things that we're really excited to be able to kind of continue to grow.
35:14
Rosemary Mudry
But I think, you know, the market has a long way to go. We have a lot of physical needs, too, that we have to turn our attention to addressing so that we can take care of our merchants and ensure that they're here for many more years, and then we can really build out more of those types of partnerships. We also really have no spaces to do things in and have people gather. So part of, again, making us that premier market is like the market is a place people want to gather, they come together, but there's nowhere to sit, nowhere to do those kinds of things together. And so we need to cultivate those spaces through some physical investment.
35:50
Rosemary Mudry
And so that's really what a lot of my attention is on, is how do we get those physical changes done so that we can fulfill all of these amazing potential partnerships and expand the types of programs we want to do.
36:03
Mara Kamat
In the spirit of that. Are you working on a capital campaign to raise money for that? What does this look like for you?
36:09
Carrie Aguilar
What keeps you up at night? Rosemary?
36:12
Rosemary Mudry
So we have a $70 million transformation project that we're working on.
36:17
Carrie Aguilar
Casual.
36:18
Rosemary Mudry
Yeah. So the goals of that project are to address a lot of the physical and infrastructure needs of the market. You know, while the city did invest in the market, a lot of the changes that are needed are intertwined and complicated. We need to gut and renovate the whole basement. Those things are really challenging to do. And while, you know, the city could commit a few million dollars a year here, a few million dollars a year there, it was nearly impossible for them to try to assemble a budget in a way that they could ever do the. The scale of some of the infrastructure needs that need to happen.
36:53
Rosemary Mudry
So that's part of the reason we're here, is so that we can one access different types of capital, but also so that we can do the project in efficient ways, so that we can do the whole basement at once and do things. So I'm excited. We have. The first stage of the project is fully financed, so we closed on about $52 million of funding in April, which is really exciting.
37:17
Carrie Aguilar
Amazing.
37:18
Rosemary Mudry
And the market started construction on the east arcade, which be the renovated home of all the fruits and veggie vendors. And that will open in the first quarter of 2026. And then right now, I'm actively fundraising for the final 18 million, which is, you know, going to be a heavy lift. But we're. We're excited about it. I think there's still a lot of folks. One of the sort of opportunities, challenges, glass half full, half empty of the market, is people really love the market. They're really passionate about the market. But unlike other institutions, whether it's the art museum or things like that, they've never been to contribute to it. They've never.
37:55
Carrie Aguilar
There's not an endowment. There's not a. Yeah, there's.
37:57
Rosemary Mudry
There's not like an alumni base that's used to being asked, that's used to. So I think the community. It's a beloved asset to the community, but they've always known it was sort of the cities, a municipal thing. And we don't think about donating or we don't think about municipal things in the same way that we think about other beloved institutions like museums and things like that. So I think the opportunity is that there's so many people that care about the market and so much we can tap into. The bigger challenge is that we have to find all of those folks, and we have to introduce them to the market. We have to help them believe that a new nonprofit and a new organization and this new transition are things that can last. And so it's exciting and really fun work.
38:48
Rosemary Mudry
And I think it's just an example of where one person can't do it, where it's really the team and the relationship a director has with their board. The people involved in the project are so critical. I feel really just one of the things that attracted me most to the role was seeing who was on the board and who was willing to put their name in the markets. On the market side. It really reassured me and gave me confidence that, like, this is a project that can get done, because people who are leaders that people love in northeast Ohio who have done amazing things are willing to put their name behind the market, and they want to put their name and they want to be involved in this project. And so I just, you know, working.
39:39
Rosemary Mudry
It's just transformational how wonderful it can be when you're working with a really strong board and with people who are supporting you in that symbiotic way. It's just really special. And I think, you know, of all of the things I've learned over the past two years, that's, you know, I always knew it was important to have a Good board. But I think I've really seen what is possible when you have the right players in place.
40:06
Carrie Aguilar
That's fantastic.
40:08
Mara Kamat
When you think about legacy, not in the big institutional sense, but personally, what do you hope your leadership stands for?
40:16
Rosemary Mudry
I try not to dwell on legacy too much and just do the good work now. But I think, you know, my hope is that my career path, and not just my career path, my personal path. You know, like the personal choices I made. My husband and I, you know, very purposefully bought a home in the city of Cleveland. We wanted to be on the east side. We're in the Glenville neighborhood. Like, wanting to be a part of communities and wanting to be a part of seeing them thrive. So I think, you know, my hope is that both. Both personally, the choices I make are good for my family, but also contribute positively. And then I think just the choices I'm making in my professional endeavor lead to positive things, being able to make an impact in the community.
41:04
Rosemary Mudry
Hopefully the projects I work on leave the place better than when I started. And I think, to me, that's what success looks like, and that's what I would hope to be remembered by.
41:18
Mara Kamat
And incredibly beautiful. I hope you're remembered by that as well.
41:21
Rosemary Mudry
I hope I have a lot more years before anyone's remembering me for anything. For sure, for sure. Because I feel like I have a.
41:27
Carrie Aguilar
Lot more years ahead of me.
41:31
Rosemary Mudry
No, I feel like I've got, like, 30 more years of career left in front of me.
41:37
Mara Kamat
But you've got some beautiful landmarks around the city that you've been a key part of bringing to life, and that, in and of itself, is an amazing legacy, too.
41:45
Carrie Aguilar
Yeah.
41:45
Rosemary Mudry
Thank you. Yeah. Yeah.
41:47
Carrie Aguilar
Okay, so there are two questions we like to ask all of our guests. Sure. The first is if you could go back to tell your younger self a piece of advice, what would it be?
41:58
Rosemary Mudry
This is a hard question for me, but it's hard.
42:01
Carrie Aguilar
It's literally hard for everyone.
42:02
Rosemary Mudry
It's. It's hard because I think not, because I don't feel like I made plenty of mistakes or wished thick things, but I also try really hard not to dwell on the choices that have already been done. I can agonize over a choice, but once it's made, I feel like then you just have to go with it.
42:26
Carrie Aguilar
Right.
42:27
Rosemary Mudry
And so, I don't know, it's hard to go. To want to go back and tell my younger self to do something differently because I feel like where my life has turned out is pretty great. And so I'm not Saying I, there's plenty of things and choices I would have done differently.
42:44
Carrie Aguilar
Not for you to do different, but maybe something that is reassuring or if you're just looking at a younger person who's heading into where you're going, what would you tell them? How about that?
42:56
Rosemary Mudry
So I guess from that perspective, the sort of piece of advice or what I'd re. Emphasize to my younger self would just be there's, I think, this idea that we should have things figured out, that you should have your career path. And in 9th grade or in 12th grade, they're like, and you know, what do you think you're going to want to major in college? Because you should take extra of those classes. And it's like, I don't know, I think you should just do the things you enjoy and do the things you love and your path will come. And so I guess what I, I would most, you know, just keep reminding my younger self, is that you don't have to have things figured out.
43:35
Rosemary Mudry
That if you center your choices on the things that you care about, on your values, on the things that you feel excited to do. Like, if you like math, then do more math, you know. But I think, yeah, you just, you don't have to have it figured out. Don't cave to the pressure. Don't just forge your own path.
44:01
Mara Kamat
There is a skill built in, like listening to your heart and aligning around your interests and what you want to do as you make different decisions and navigate your career.
44:10
Rosemary Mudry
Yeah. And just everybody's path can be different. What somebody else did doesn't mean like you need to do it too. You will find your way. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. And if one thing doesn't work, then you'll pick a new thing and you'll try it. You know, you don't have to be committing to the rest of your life when you're 18 or 22 or 40. It's true too.
44:33
Carrie Aguilar
Right.
44:34
Rosemary Mudry
You know, we can be many things in this world. So I guess that's my piece.
44:41
Carrie Aguilar
It's perfect.
44:42
Mara Kamat
My look back and finally, what's bringing you joy right now?
44:47
Rosemary Mudry
Well, in this moment, this has been a joyful afternoon.
44:50
Carrie Aguilar
So feeling good too.
44:51
Rosemary Mudry
Thank you for inviting me. All the things that bring me joy. I mean, we're in the fall. You know, while today's rainy weather might not specifically be bringing me, we've had such a beautiful fall. Being outside brings me joy. I, I love where I live and just the small things. Like sometimes I think to myself, I can't believe I live in a place where I can go on a two mile walk and I can see the art museum. I can see like beautiful nature and trees. I can walk through college campus. I just, it doesn't matter that I've lived there for that many years. I'm like stunned by how special the place I live is.
45:35
Rosemary Mudry
And it brings, you know, even no matter how bad my day is, if I take that loop around the art museum and go around the pond and walk over there and walk through Wade.
45:45
Carrie Aguilar
It'S like a pinch me.
45:46
Rosemary Mudry
You're like, I can't believe this gets.
45:48
Carrie Aguilar
To be my life.
45:48
Rosemary Mudry
Yeah. I get to do this. Like, this gets to be the place where I live. And I think that's really special. I feel that way also about walking in the west side Market. Like, people are like, does it get old looking at that ceiling?
46:00
Carrie Aguilar
Oh, God, no.
46:01
Rosemary Mudry
And I'm like, no, never does it ever get old. I walk in and I'm, you know, still as amazed by it as I was the first day.
46:09
Carrie Aguilar
Yeah. I think I have on my phone probably 30 pictures over the years of that ceiling. And there I look at all of them. Well, thank you so much for joining us today and the incredible work you're doing to preserve, modernize, and connect Cleveland's communities. You are proof that leadership can be rooted in love. Love for place, for people, and for purpose. Thank you for reminding us the power of women who lead with and for their community.
46:36
Mara Kamat
We'll link to the Cleveland Public Market Corporation and ways you can support the market's mission in our notes on this post.
46:44
Carrie Aguilar
Until next time, this is In Her Land, reminding you to stay curious, stay connected, and keep building the community you want to see. Thanks so much for joining us, Rosemary.
46:54
Rosemary Mudry
Thank you so much for having me. I really enjoyed speaking with both of you.
