Ruiz said, "Actually I'm very, very excited at the opportunity to meet with the community, especially the merchants, and hear how I can work with them."

The WGBPA is made up of business owners who mainly operate on Lincoln Avenue between Coe and Minnesota avenues. The association's membership also includes a handful of Willow Glen businesses that have "associate member" status.

Among her new duties as executive director will be working closely with the board of directors, the event planners and volunteers. She will also be responsible for coordinating various projects, particularly special events like the annual Dancing on the Avenue festival held every June.

Ruiz said that though she isn't exactly a Willow Glen resident, she lives close by--near the cross streets of Auzerais and Bird avenues. But she and her husband spend plenty of time on Lincoln Avenue.

"We walk our dogs down Lincoln about once a week and stop by the Willow Glen Coffee Roasting Company," she said, adding that she has a pug named Romeo and a poodle named Juliet.

Ruiz also said she doesn't own or operate a Lincoln Avenue business but that she has extensive experience working with nonprofit organizations. She currently works closely with the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, located at 1146 University Ave., in San Jose.

The WGBPA governing board consists of volunteer merchants, but the executive director has a paid 32-hour a week position.

The Sept. 24 board meetings will have a discussion on a revision of the association's bylaws. That may be messy, but pigeons are also plaguing Lincoln Avenue and leaving their own messes.

A San Jose city official was scheduled to give a pigeon control presentation to association board members.

"You can definitely see that there is a pigeon problem," Ruiz said. "It's not attractive to see the droppings. That's certainly of major concern for the merchants."