Oceanside, Calif. — March 28, 2024: MainStreet Oceanside (MSO) Co-Founder Rick Wright has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer. Before successfully leading the Downtown Oceanside Business Association, Wright was a small business owner and volunteer in Downtown Oceanside.
Through his leadership, MSO grew from a small non-profit organization to one of the largest Main Street Programs in the nation. Wright’s entrepreneurial background gave MSO the advantage to make a difference by creating fun and exciting events like the Taste of Oceanside, Shop Local events, the Oceanside Independence Parade, and the Art that Excites community art program, to name a few.
Wright helped increase awareness of the downtown district by creating relationships with the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce and Visit Oceanside. Over the last 20 years, he has served on the City of Oceanside Downtown Advisory Committee as the voice for downtown revitalization. Wright was also part of the 9-block master plan, Mission Avenue road improvements, and many other developments in Downtown Oceanside.
Wright looks forward to his retirement and is excited to welcome the new leadership at MSO.
“My time has come to an end at MainStreet Oceanside, an organization that has inspired me to showcase my passion for supporting the downtown district,” said Wright. “My experience in Downtown Oceanside dates to the 90s when I owned the 1-hour photo store, which evolved into Little Louie’s Gift Shop. Downtown Oceanside will always be in my heart, and I look forward to seeing what MainStreet Oceanside accomplishes in the future.”
Wright is leaving MSO with a new branding guideline aimed at improving aesthetics in the downtown district and elevating local and visitor experiences when visiting Downtown Oceanside.
The MSO Executive Board of Directors appointed Gumaro Escarcega as the new Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2024. Escarcega has been with MSO since 2013 and has collaborated with many stakeholders to program and support Downtown Oceanside activities. Escarcega has 17 years of experience managing Downtown Business Associations. A graduate of San Diego State University in Public Administration with an emphasis in City Planning, Escarcega’s passion for improving Downtown Oceanside is evident through his leadership by increasing clean and safe services and creating partnerships with local organizations and the business community.
“As the new leader at MainStreet Oceanside, I look forward to improving and retaining our small business community by creating programs and activities highlighting our downtown district. With the tools and resources that we have developed in the last 10 years, MainStreet Oceanside is prepared to lead our small business district to success and advocate for smart development that increases our quality of life,” said Escarcega. “My priority is to improve our business relationships and find opportunities to collaborate with many local leaders to improve our city outlook.”
MainStreet Oceanside has been an Accredited Main Street Program since 2000. The organization oversees 84 square blocks with over 12 sectors in Downtown Oceanside. MSO is a business-led organization striving to improve Oceanside communities.
