About Walker
Hi, my name is Walker Evans, and I live in Columbus, Ohio.
I am the co-founder of ColumbusUnderground.com and TheMetropreneur.com along with my wife and business partner Anne Evans. We live in the historic King Lincoln District adjacent to Downtown with our two children, and maintain a Downtown office on Gay Street. We love the urban energy and culture that Downtown Columbus has to offer. Outside of work, I stay engaged in a variety of civic activities including:
- The Gay Street Collaborative – In 2011, I assisted in the creation of a new nonprofit business association for the collection of business owners located on Gay Street in Downtown Columbus. I currently serve as the Secretary for the organization. The role of the Collaborative is provide a unified voice for Gay Street businesses when addressing various development and business issues, as well as working together on joint marketing projects, events and other promotions that assist all types of businesses in this area.
- North Market Development Authority Board of Trustees – I began my first term at the North Market in January 2008, and continued my second term in January 2011, which I will serve through December, 2013. Personally, I’ve been a fan of the North Market for as long as I’ve lived in Columbus. The North Market is more than just a marketplace… it’s a cultural institution in Columbus and a valuable connection between our urban fabric and rural surroundings. If you’ve got an idea or a concern about the North Market, feel free to send me an email, and I’ll do my best to relay any information, ideas and opinions to the rest of the Board.
- Columbus 2020! Create Committee – In October 2010, I was invited to join the Create Committee of the Columbus 2020! Economic Development effort. This new effort is a collaborative project between the Columbus Partnership, the Columbus Chamber, TechColumbus and other local organizations and entities. The focus of the Create Committee is to provide a plan for growing our entrepreneurial community, allocating resources for small business development, and fostering a more creative and collaborative environment in Central Ohio.
- The Columbus Metropolitan Club – I was elected to the Board of Trustees for the Columbus Metropolitan Club in August 2010 and began serving September of 2010. The Columbus Metropolitan Club has served the community for the past 35 years as a venue for thoughtful forums, engaging events, educational awareness and civic pride.
Some of my past/previous civic involvement includes:
- Dine Originals Columbus Board of Directors – I joined the Board at Dine Originals Columbus in January, 2009 and finished my term of service in August 2011. Dine Originals is a group of 50+ local, independent restaurants who have come together to celebrate, support, and promote the local dining experience. The group benefits from shared collaborative resources, and my role on the board is to assist with creative marketing and advertising outreach as well as volunteer recruitment and event promotion.
- The Create Columbus Commission – I joined “The commission formerly known as the Mayor’s Young Professionals Commission” in May 2007 and served through May 2010. The Create Columbus Commission is working to engage young people in Columbus civic activity. This group was pulled together as a joint effort between the Mayor’s Office and the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. I was proactive in several subcommittee activities including Transportation initiatives, event planning, communications, and outreach.
- The Columbus Metropolitan Club – I served as a founding Vice-Chair for the CMCpm Committee for a year and a half in 2007 and 2008. This committee was created to put together a series of events that offer programming targeted at a younger audience. This pilot program was launched by the Columbus Metropolitan Club in mid-2007. I also served on the Marketing Committee for the Columbus Metropolitan Club in 2008.
When I’m not busy working or in meetings I enjoy watching films, cooking, playing video games, working on our house, exploring the city, and trying out new restaurants.
I grew up in Marysville, Ohio which is a northwestern exurb of Columbus. In 1998, I made the move to Columbus proper to attend school at The Ohio State University. I also attended the Columbus State Community College and Franklin University, and obtained my degree in Interactive Multimedia Technology in 2003. Over the past 10 years I’ve worked for a large local Fortune 500 company, the State of Ohio, a printing and graphics firm, and a local newspaper. I’ve also done a lot of creative freelance work in my spare time, and as of July 2007, went full time with Columbus Underground.
ColumbusUnderground.com was launched in November 2001 as an online resource for all things Columbus. It was originally founded with an entertainment focus, but has gradually grown to cover topics including art, restaurants, shopping, politics, urban living, movies, sports, and more. As of 2010, Columbus Underground receives over 2.1 million visitors per year and 8.5 million pageviews per year, making it one of the largest online news and information resources in Central Ohio.
On August 3rd, 2010, Anne and I assembled a new team of local online media professionals and launched TheMetropreneur.com. The Metropreneur is an online news resource for small businesses and entrepreneurs in Central Ohio. It also serves as a “virtual incubator” through online networking applications and a Local Resource Database that connects entrepreneurs with the tools and programs that can assist in their success. The Metropreneur provides a unique resource that is “Telling the Story” of small business development in Central Ohio.
I host this blog, “The Walker Evans Effect” to share some of my own personal opinions with the world. I also use it as a resource to share information between the various organizations I’m involved with, and the online, engaged, tech-savvy blog-reading locals (you!).
If you happen to see me out somewhere, be sure to say hi. I always enjoy meeting new people.