Chris Waible is nearly four months into his new position as the president and CEO of Peoria's non-profit Downtown Development Corporation. 

The Peoria native is back in his hometown after spending the past four years working in real estate business development in Wisconsin. He takes over leadership of the DDC from Michael Freilinger, the organization's original president and CEO who retired after 11 years. 

Waible joins the challenge to restore vibrancy to Peoria's downtown amid a glut of vacant office space and a need for reinvestment. He explains why that's an opportunity he's eager to tackle.