PENDLETON — The Pendleton Downtown Association has found a new director.

In a Monday, Dec. 14, press release, the association announced it had hired John Hart to become the nonprofit’s next executive director. Hart’s first day was Wednesday, Dec. 16, and he’s starting his job by working remotely.

The press release states that Hart is an “out-of-the-box” thinker who has experience working with nonprofits, city governments, corporations, small businesses and colleges.

Hart becomes the association’s third director since the position was created in 2017. Molly Turner was elevated from intern to become the organization’s first director and was replaced by Wesley Murack in late 2018 after she took a job with Blue Mountain Community College. Murack resigned in July for “personal reasons.”

[EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been changed to reflect a clarification. John Hart is the Pendleton Downtown Association’s current director and was preceded by Molly Turner and Wesley Murack]