Joel EngelhardtA taxing body that fills a critical role between city government and retailers in downtown West Palm Beach is undergoing a change in leadership.
The board of the Downtown Development Authority accepted the resignation last week of longtime Executive Director Raphael Clemente. The board appointed Clemente’s top lieutenant, Teneka James-Feaman, to take over, effective June 18.
Former board members Bruce Lewis, Howard Pinkus and Upendo Shabazz and former Executive Director Melissa Wohlust urged the board at the May 21 meeting to appoint James-Feaman.
Clemente, who has worked at the DDA for 18 years and held the top post for nearly 14, is moving into philanthropy, taking a position with the not-for-profit Quantum Foundation. He’ll head venture philanthropy for the nearly 30-year-old organization formed from the proceeds of the sale of JFK Medical Center in Atlantis.
Coming next week, The Exit Interview: Stet’s Joel Engelhardt sits down with Clemente for an interview, in which he discusses downtown parking, Related and CityPlace, his passion for solving urban problems and more.
Joel is a founder, reporter and editor at Stet News. His award-winning newspaper career spanned more than 40 years, including 28 years at The Palm Beach Post, which he left in 2020. Joel lives with his wife in Palm Beach Gardens. He volunteers on the board of NAMI Palm Beach County and the Palm Beach Gardens Historical Society.
