QUOTE
Latest Leaders Of LCC&VB Revealed
Jack Arnett to replace Sue Bietry, while Linda Simmons takes over job as marketing director.
Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch
MICHIGAN CITY - The administration of the La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau this week underwent a series of changes that started with the replacement of the former director, Sue Bietry.
Tourism Board President Doug Waters announced Monday that former board president Jack Arnett has been hired to replace Bietry, who left the bureau in August after being asked to resign.
Arnett served on the board through 2005.
Upon his hiring, Arnett decided to make a change in the bureau's leadership structure, hiring former board member Linda Simmons to take over
as marketing director.
Simmons replaced Maureen Mellen, who will remain on the marketing team, but will no longer serve as the department's public face.
Mellen recently secured two major events for La Porte County, including a girl's softball tournament which brought thousands of visitors, and their spending money, to the county in July.
She also secured the 2010 Red Power Roundup, an international convention for collectors of vintage International Harvester tractors and vehicles. Waters said Mellen is also working on securing two more major events for the coming years.
He said, however, that Simmons brings with her a great deal of marketing experience gained while the owner of a McDonald's restaurant.
"Together, Jack and Linda provide us with an experienced and proven leadership team that provides both great promise and a high level of confidence that the visitors bureau can and will reach even greater levels of service and fulfillment to the multitude of visitors whom we welcome to La Porte County," Waters said.
"We're trying to form an all-inclusive, in-depth marketing team. Maureen's done a heckuva job bringing things in and we think this will enhance that."
Waters said both Arnett and Simmons have a "thorough knowledge" of the bureau's operational practices and of its current capabilities and staff. He also lauded the pair's "expansive" knowledge of the county.
Bietry resigned in early August, and at the time Waters praised her work with the bureau.
She took over for former Executive Director Dionne Wisniewski, who was moved to a marketing position. She left the bureau shortly thereafter.
Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.
Jack Arnett to replace Sue Bietry, while Linda Simmons takes over job as marketing director.
Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch
MICHIGAN CITY - The administration of the La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau this week underwent a series of changes that started with the replacement of the former director, Sue Bietry.
Tourism Board President Doug Waters announced Monday that former board president Jack Arnett has been hired to replace Bietry, who left the bureau in August after being asked to resign.
Arnett served on the board through 2005.
Upon his hiring, Arnett decided to make a change in the bureau's leadership structure, hiring former board member Linda Simmons to take over
as marketing director.
Simmons replaced Maureen Mellen, who will remain on the marketing team, but will no longer serve as the department's public face.
Mellen recently secured two major events for La Porte County, including a girl's softball tournament which brought thousands of visitors, and their spending money, to the county in July.
She also secured the 2010 Red Power Roundup, an international convention for collectors of vintage International Harvester tractors and vehicles. Waters said Mellen is also working on securing two more major events for the coming years.
He said, however, that Simmons brings with her a great deal of marketing experience gained while the owner of a McDonald's restaurant.
"Together, Jack and Linda provide us with an experienced and proven leadership team that provides both great promise and a high level of confidence that the visitors bureau can and will reach even greater levels of service and fulfillment to the multitude of visitors whom we welcome to La Porte County," Waters said.
"We're trying to form an all-inclusive, in-depth marketing team. Maureen's done a heckuva job bringing things in and we think this will enhance that."
Waters said both Arnett and Simmons have a "thorough knowledge" of the bureau's operational practices and of its current capabilities and staff. He also lauded the pair's "expansive" knowledge of the county.
Bietry resigned in early August, and at the time Waters praised her work with the bureau.
She took over for former Executive Director Dionne Wisniewski, who was moved to a marketing position. She left the bureau shortly thereafter.
Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.