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MURIELBOWSERMayor
February14,2025
‘TheHonorablePhilMendelson
Chairman
Councilofthe DistrictofColumbia
JohnA.WilsonBuilding
1350PennsylvaniaAvenue,NW, Suite504
Washington,DC 20004
DearChairmanMendelson:
Inaccordancewithsection2ofthe ConfirmationActof1978,effectiveMarch3,1979(D.C.Law2-
142;D.C.OfficialCode§ 1-523.01),andpursuanttosection5oftheOfficeandCommissionon
NightlifeandCultureEstablishmentActof2018,effectiveDecember13,2018(D.C.Law 22-191;
D.C.OfficialCode§3-664),Iam pleasedtonominatethefollowingindividual:
Mr,LukasUmana
K Street,NW
Washington,DC 20005
(Ward2)
forappointmentasapersonsittingontheboardofdirectorsofaBusinessImprovementDistrictmemberoftheCommissiononNightlifeandCulture,fillingavacantseatformerlyheldbyColleen
Hawkinson,fortheremainderofanunexpiredtermtoendMarch15,2027.
Enclosed,youwillfindbiographicalinformationdetailingtheexperienceoftheabove-mentionednominee,togetherwithaproposedresolutiontoassisttheCouncilduringtheconfirmationprocess.
IwouldappreciatetheCouncil'searliestconsiderationofthisnominationforconfirmation.Please
do nothesitatetocontactme, or StevenWalker,Director,Mayor'sOfficeofTalentand
Appointments,shouldtheCouncilrequireadditionalinformation.
Sincerely,
MufielBi
Major
1
2 airman Phil Mendelson
3 at the request of the Mayor
4
5
6 A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
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8
9
10 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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12
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15 To confirm the appointment of Lukas Umana to the Commission on Nightlife and Culture.
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17 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
18 resolution may be cited as the "Commission on Nightlife and Culture Lukas Umana
19 Confirmation Resolution of 2025".
20 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the appointment of:
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22 Lukas Umana
23 K Street, NW
24 Washington, DC 20005
25 (Ward 2)
26
27 as a person sitting on the board of directors of a business improvement district member of the
28 Commission on Nightlife and Culture, established by D.C. Official Code§ 3-664, filling a vacant
29 seat formerly held by Colleen Hawkinson, for the remainder of an unexpired term to end March
30 15, 2027.
31 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
32 upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
33 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
Lukas Umana
Director of Public Space Operations
Highly accomplished and results-driven executive with 20+ years of experience in optimizing organizational efficiency and profitability
while leading cross -functional teams, implementing strategic initiatives, and fostering a culture of innovation. Successfully launched
and managed 9 Food & Beverages (F&B) businesses from inception to daily operations by executing comprehensive Standard
Operating Procedures across various functions. Adept at building and motivating high-performing teams to improve productivity and
employee engagement. Instrumental in driving process improvements, streamlining workflows, and delivering results that align with
the company's goals.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Operations Management | Strategic Planning & Execution | Place Management | Profit & Loss Management (P&L) | Quality
Customer Service | Stakeholders Engagement | SOPs Implementation | Data Analysis & Reporting | Menu Costing & Pricing |
Budgeting & Forecasting | Supply Chain Management | Hiring & Recruitment | Professional Development | Process Improvement
| Cross-Functional Collaborations | Issues Resolution | Regulatory Compliance | Cost Reduction
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
DowntownDC BID | Washington, DC 1/2024 – Present
Director of Public Space Operations
Lead an amazing team of 80+ staff and manage a $7M operating budget to keep downtown clean, safe and economically viable. Role is
to create memorable experiences for stakeholders and visitors by driving operational efficiency, building strong public -private
partnerships, and driving engagement by activating public and private spaces.
▪ Secured public funding and launched a safety team, building strong community relationships and helping reduce crime by
37% year over year.
▪ Stabilized 80-person operations team, improving overall operations and strengthening stakeholder confidence in the BID.
▪ Led the Clean and Safe Task Force, fostering collaboration between private and public sectors to address challenges in
Chinatown, resulting in enhanced community safety and improved public perception.
▪ Enhanced financial stability of operations budget by reducing management payroll and vendor services costs by over
$350,000 within 10 months, contributing to increased operational efficiency and resource allocation.
▪ Developed and implemented a comprehensive operational task tracking app, resulting in enhanced operational efficiency,
improved personnel task management, and streamlined data collection for communicating value to stakeholders and
partners.
▪ Successfully influenced key decisions, including overturning a DDOT ruling that would have negatively impacted three major
stakeholders.
▪ Revitalized Safety Alliance community meetings, resulting in higher stakeholder engagement.
▪ Enhanced stakeholder confidence and demonstrated BID value by improving operations team efficiency, fostering effective
stakeholder communication, resolving stakeholder challenges, cultivating robust public/private partnerships, and actively
participating in monthly community meetings.
▪ Curated and implemented two public art activations that transformed the aesthetic and ambiance of two blocks within the
Business Improvement District (BID).
Takorean Holdings | Washington, DC 2017 – 2023
President & CFO
Championed company vision for revenue growth and operational efficiency. Provided financial analysis to executives for informed
decision-making and adapted strategies to navigate business cycles and pandemic challenges
▪ Progressed from Area Manager to President/CFO; managed $4.2M+ P&L portfolio and increased guest ratings from 3.5 to
4.5+ stars.
▪ Optimized cost management, reducing food and operational expenses by 8% in 2 years while maintaining quality;
implemented inventory system post-pandemic, cutting food costs by 4%.
▪ Led employee development initiatives, resulting in 5.5-year average tenure; streamlined training program, reducing duration
from 16 to 8 days and decreasing labor costs by 5.5%.
▪ Established technology systems for inventory, accounting, payroll, and scheduling; reduced corporate staffing by 2 FTEs,
saving $160,000 annually.
▪ Orchestrated design, construction, and opening of 3 company -owned stores across multiple states; obtained Brand Agent
status and secured university location.
Chix Restaurant Group | Washington, DC 2007 – 2017
Chief Executive Officer
Planned and executed three store openings, including overseeing operational training while designing and implementing operati onal
standards and training programs to enhance efficiency, deliver exceptional customer service, and ensure profitability.
▪ Motivated the team to achieve high performance standards and excellence and ensured strict compliance with health and
food safety regulations.
▪ Pioneered the creation and growth of a startup, evolving it into a fully-fledged fast casual multi-unit restaurant operation by
delivering daily oversight and strategic guidance for all restaurants.
▪ Maximized store performance and profitability through meticulous analysis of operating costs and efficiency while vigilantly
monitoring all budget expenditures.
▪ Addressed pricing strategy challenges for launching a new type of food offering through comprehensive market and
competition research.
▪ Communicated the value proposition to guests, emphasizing the importance of paying more for quality food, this concept
was well-received by customers which contributed to the launch of elevated fast gourmet food with a Triple Bottom Line
focus on People, Planet, and Profit.
Defense Logistics Agency | Fort Belvoir, VA 2002 – 2012
Program Management Analyst
Governed a substantial $200M+ financial program for the Chief Information Officer (CIO) office within the Department of Defen se
(DoD). Implemented and monitored budget tools to drive enhanced performance for IT programs while managing a team of program
analysts in strict adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and budgetary objectives.
▪ Proposed the integration of a finance representative into each program to facilitate seamless coordination between project
managers and financial analysts and resolve the issue of full budget utilization.
▪ Achieved a budget utilization rate within 1% of the total allocated budget for eight consecutive years by Implementing
expenditure tracking systems that provided real-time budget expenditure data to program analysts.
▪ Introduced SOPs to assist IT programs in effectively monitoring budgets and aligning their spending with the annual budget
parameters established by federal DoD guidelines.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
MS Office Suite | Restaurant 365 | Toast POS | Slack | Asana | CRM | QuickBooks | Sales Force
Languages: English (Fluent) | Spanish (Fluent)
EDUCATION
BSBA in Finance and International Management – American University
Master of Management Certificate in Hospitality – Cornell University
Executive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
Lukas Umana
Mr. Lukas Umana is a seasoned executive with 16 years of experience as
a business owner and executive in the hospitality industry. He currently
serves as the Director of Public Space Operations at the Downtown DC
BID, where he focuses on creating memorable experiences for
stakeholders, residents, and visitors through clean and safe initiatives and
public and private space activation to help drive a vibrant Downtown DC.
Throughout his career, Mr. Umana has demonstrated expertise in
operations, finance, and fostering a positive company culture. His
achievements include successfully launching seven food & beverage
businesses across Washington D.C., Maryland, and Pennsylvania; serving
as President & Chief Financial Officer of the Takorean restaurant group ;
and, co-founding and leading Chix, a restaurant group with three thriving locations in Washington,
D.C., as CEO from 2007 to 2017.
Before his hospitality career, Mr. Umana spent a decade as a Program Management Analyst for
the Department of Defense's Chief Information Office. His diverse background in hospitality,
business management and leadership, and public service makes him an ideal candidate for the
Commission on Nightlife and Culture, where he can contribute valuable insights to enhance the
city's vibrant nightlife and cultural scene.
A Ward 2 resident, Mr. Umana earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from
American University and his Master of Management Certificate in Hospitality from Cornell
University.
GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681
To: Kimberly A. Bassett, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: January 31, 2025
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of a resolution appointing Lukas Umana as a member of
the Commission on Nightlife and Culture
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced Order and found
it to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not hesitate
to call Michael Porcello, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at 202-727-
0872, or me at 202-724-7681.
______________________________
Elizabeth Cavendish