Cesar Claro has stepped down as executive director of the Montclair Center Business Improvement District, citing health reasons roughly two months after taking the job.
The BID, which supports downtown Montclair through cleaning and beautification, marketing, events and economic development, announced Claro’s departure this week.
Although his tenure was brief, Claro leaves with the board’s full support and appreciation, said Ernst Goldman, president of the BID’s board of directors, in a press release.
“We were looking forward to building a strong future for Montclair Center with Cesar, and it is difficult to see his time with us cut short under these circumstances,” Goldman said. “Cesar leaves with our full support and appreciation. Our thoughts are with him, and we want him to have the time and privacy he needs to focus on his health.”
Claro struck the same note in his own statement.
“I was looking forward to working with the board and the Montclair Center community, which makes stepping away especially difficult,” Claro said. “My health now requires my full attention. I am grateful for the board’s understanding and support, and I wish the BID continued success.”
Neither statement offered additional details about Claro’s health. The BID has asked the community to respect his privacy as he focuses on his care.
What happens next for Montclair Center’s leadership?
The board is scheduled to meet Wednesday night to address the leadership transition and discuss how the organization will maintain continuity in its work downtown.
No interim director has been named publicly, and the board has not yet announced how it plans to fill the role. The BID said it will share updates as those plans develop.
Claro’s departure comes during a period of leadership turnover for the organization.
Longtime executive director Jason Gleason resigned effective Aug. 1, 2024. Abhishake Shah, then the BID’s assistant director, initially took over as interim executive director and was formally named executive director later that year. Gleason subsequently returned to work with the BID as a consultant.
Claro was hired as executive director in July 2026.
The latest transition means the organization is once again working without a permanent executive director while continuing its work supporting downtown businesses, events, marketing and public-space improvements.
What does the Montclair Center BID do?
The Montclair Center Business Improvement District has operated since 2002 and represents more than 400 retailers and restaurants along Bloomfield Avenue and nearby streets.
Its work includes cleaning and beautification, event programming, marketing, economic development and advocacy for the downtown business district.
The BID is funded largely through special assessments on eligible properties within the district. Its annual budget is submitted to and approved by the Montclair Township Council. The Township Council adopted a $1,094,552 budget for the BID for 2026.
The organization is governed by a 21-member board consisting of seven property owners, seven business owners, two Township Council members, one resident and four at-large members.
Under the BID’s bylaws, the board meets nine times a year, generally on the third Wednesday of each month except July and August.
Meetings are open to the public.
The board normally meets at the BID’s offices at 26 Lackawanna Plaza, but with that space currently under construction, meetings are being held at the Montclair Mezzanine, 488 Bloomfield Ave.
Wednesday’s meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. and could provide the first indication of how the BID plans to manage its latest leadership transition.
Photo: Claro-Ventures.com
