Mayor Parker’s appointed 2026 director to help Philly shine on global stage

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As the city of Philadelphia’s 2026 Director, Michael Newmuis is tasked to help the city prepare for a trifecta of major events that will bring more than 500,000 visitors.

That includes the FIFA World Cup soccer games, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game and the 250th birthday of America – all happening in July 2026.

Newmuis was tapped by Mayor Cherelle Parker to the role after a career in tourism and community investment roles. In the past few weeks, he’s met with more than 70 stakeholders to understand the scope of what lies ahead in the next two years.

“We’re going to have something really exceptional,” Newmuis said. “This is perhaps the greatest opportunity in modern history to position Philadelphia on a national, if not a global stage.”

He was previously the head of impact at FS Investments, a global asset manager and executive director of the FS Foundation. He also served in executive roles at Visit Philadelphia.

He’s already helped execute major events like the 2015 World Meeting of Families which included Pope Francis’ first U.S. visit, the 2016 Democratic National Convention and the 2017 NFL Draft in Philadelphia.

There are plans to use the events as a tool to attract investment from new businesses but also to make sure the economic impact is inclusive for small and minority owned businesses – not just a cluster in Center City.

“There’s going to be a lot of [event] activations across neighborhoods in Philadelphia,” he said.

For example, some World Cup fans might be more interested in tailgating their favorite teams and celebrating in neighborhood restaurants and bars.

“Especially for the FIFA World Cup, it [fans] might be a bit more blue collar. These are individuals who saved up a lot of their money to come and experience the game. These are individuals that are going to want to celebrate even if they don’t have a ticket,” he said.

And the games might not end until late in the evening.

“How do you ensure that even if a game is ending at one in the morning that there’s opportunities for fans to safely celebrate even after the final call is made,” he said.

And it’s not just about sports but includes arts, culture and history. It’s about striking a balance between investments for visitors and residents, he said.

During his tenure at Visit Philadelphia, Newmuis worked with then-Councilmember Parker to develop the Shop Black Business Friday campaign. Philadelphia City Council passed a resolution to encourage holiday shoppers to support Black-owned businesses during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is now an annual tradition.

“That helped bring a lot of marketing during the pandemic when we had to help Black-owned businesses who were disproportionately at risk of closing,” he said.

For the 2026 celebrations, there’s plans to be inclusive with vendors, contractors and small businesses for city services, he said.

“We’re going to have a lot of information on a consolidated portal and open up the process for businesses to find meaningful ways that they can get involved,” he said.

The 250th anniversary of America in the nation’s birthplace is special for Newmuis whose ancestor was a freed slave from South Carolina who journeyed north following President Abraham Lincoln’s issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation.

“I can’t imagine what she [his fourth great grandmother] would think today to know after all these years her descendant was now planning the 250th anniversary of the nation in the nation’s birthplace,” he said. “I’m looking forward to honoring the legacy of those who have come before us.”