Bruce Barone Jr. has recently been tasked to lead the Fifth Avenue South Business Improvement District into a new era of development and national recognition. It’s a lot to rest on one’s shoulders, but Barone Jr.’s self-described entrepreneurial spirit and passionate and willful approach to business gives him the right tools for the job.

“I am an entrepreneur at heart, which has taught me how to be pragmatic. Having the ability to adapt as information and circumstances change gives me an advantage over my competition. This allows me to pursue the best possible solution, instead of being bound by ideology or ego,” He continues: “One simple thing I’ve learned is that the quickest way to tell if you’re heading in the wrong direction is when someone says, ‘This is how we’ve always done it.’ I’m not interested in letting arbitrary limits dictate my approach.”

Barone comes from a diverse background that includes politics, architecture, media and marketing, real estate, management and fundraising. He is married with one child and two dogs.