WHO WE ARE

The Company

The Riddle Company is a woman owned, Washington, DC based consulting firm that specializes in real estate and economic development marketing. We develop and implement data driven strategies to support business attraction and economic investment for a diverse portfolio of public and private clients. Our services include marketing and public relations (traditional and social media), communications strategy and planning, client and market research and analyses, and business development and recruitment. Our clients include municipalities, economic development organizations, downtown development organizations, private and institutional investors and developers, and small businesses across North America.

Our work is tailored to individual clients needs driven by their short and long-term goals. The business and strategic plans we have developed and executed range in value from $50 thousand to $5 million. This work is augmented with media (earned and social) and public relations to engage community, build consensus, secure project approvals, enhance market perception, and shape consumer behavior. Market exposure attained on behalf of our clients exceeds $75 million in value. Earned media includes features and profiles in trade/business press such as the Barron’s, Bloomberg, Business Facilities, Commercial Observer, Commercial Property News, Fast Company, Forbes, the New York Times, RE Forum/Globe  St., Site Selection, Supermarket News, Urban Land, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post; broadcast coverage on ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and PBS; local coverage in the Business Journals, BISNOW, LinkedIn and others.

Our experience in economic development has resulted in assignments in almost every major market on the East Coast including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Miami, Newark, Philadelphia and  Washington DC.  We have also assisted communities and neighborhoods in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Frederick and Montgomery Counties in MD, Greensboro, Stafford County and Williamsburg VA. Our public sector driven work has resulted in nearly $1 billion in new investment, 10,000 net new jobs, and over 10 million square feet of net new retail and tech space.

Key areas of specialization in economic development include retail market studies, retail and tech attraction, competitive market analyses and comparative analyses, consumer and market surveys, marketing messaging and communications, economic feasibility and impact studies, competitive marketing and positioning, strategic partnerships to support business attraction and investment, and downtown marketing and planning.

The result? The Riddle Company clients enjoy documented success, meeting and exceeding measured goals established for economic growth, market position and media impact.   

Catherine Timko, Founder & CEO

strategist, storyteller, implementer

Catherine Timko is a nationally renowned urban strategist with particular expertise on emerging markets and retail. With a degree in urban studies. Catherine has more than 25 years of experience in economic and real estate development. More than just promises of success, Catherine delivers demonstrated success in positioning companies, communities and local economies to effectively compete. Her work is transformative, influencing the restructuring of corporate and community economies, consumer and market perception and resulting in significant new investment. Drawing on her experience in the field with projects in South Beach and Washington, DC, Catherine has been instrumental in the development of critical financing and marketing tools to support retail and real estate development, retail and business attraction, and even local investment ratings. Many are now industry accepted best practices. Her recent work on the Center City Philadelphia retail campaign, Be In On It, has achieved national recognition and resulted in new retail investment and enhance marketplace awareness.

Catherine has completed over 200 projects and studies with companies, communities and economies of all sizes and strengths from companies such as Roadside Development and Equity Residential to Washington, DC, Ohio City, OH, Philadelphia, PA and Newark, NJ. Her earned media for client communities and investors is valued at more than $150 million to date. She is widely published in the area of real estate and economic development and a frequent presenter on best practices in economic development marketing. Catherine is the former Dean for Economic Development for ICSC University of Shopping Centers and is active in many key, industry organizations including APA, IEDC, ICSC, PDA and ULI. 

Why Riddle?

Riddle is an old family name.  My family heirs from the Riddle Glenn in Glasgow Scotland.  When it came time to naming my practice, my mother suggested Riddle, her middle name.  As child number three, I was happy to set my own course (Riddle was easier than changing my name).  The name also shares some fun history, my mother's uncle owned Man o' War, who spent many years at Glenn Riddle Farm in Maryland.