April 19, 2007
HAYDEN AND RUSSELL
Tourism Execs Receive Prestigious Honors
Visit Duluth executive committee board member Cindy Marshall Hayden and Duluth Entertainment Convention Center executive director Daniel J. Russell each received special recognition at the 15th Annual Joel Labovitz Entrepreneurial Success Awards luncheon.
Hayden, president of Lake Superior Port Cities, Inc. and publisher of Lake Superior Magazine, was named the UMD Labovitz School of Business and Economics Business Person of the Year. Her family-owned company’s success was attributed to sustainable development that benefits the economy, environment and people of the region.
A special recognition called the Entrepreneurial Leadership in the Public Sector Award was presented to Russell who was the executive director of the Duluth Convention and Visitors Bureau, now Visit Duluth, from 1979-90. Russell then moved to the DECC where he led the Harbor Side expansion, brought the Omnimax Theatre and 10-screen movie theater additions to the facility and is currently leading efforts for a $76 million arena expansion.
MEMBERSHIP NEWS
Gail Walkowiak, Director of Market Services, Visit Duluth
Visit Duluth welcomes the following new member:
Mr. Eric Hanson
Pehrson Lodge
2746 Vermilion Drive
Cook, MN 55723
(218) 666-5478/ (800) 543-9937
(218) 666-2451 fax
vacation@pehrsonlodge.com
www.pehrsonlodge.com
"PROPERTY OF THE YEAR," Minnesota Association of Innkeepers. Experience the classic Minnesota resort on beautiful Lake Vermilion located 90 miles north of Duluth. 26 vacation cottages (1-5 bedroom) in a magnificent setting. Renowned fishery, sand beach, children's programs, sail boats, sea kayaks, windsurfers, fishing guides, harbor, water skiing, extensive motor boat rental fleet. Free wireless high speed Internet. Open May-September.
VISIT DULUTH ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP GALA
The Visit Duluth Membership Gala is Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at the DECC– Harbor Side Ballroom.
Look for your invitation in the mail!
Sponsorship opportunities are still available for this year’s event. If you are interested in a sponsorship or donating to the silent auction, please contact Gail Walkowiak at (218) 625-8104 or gailw@visitduluth.com
SPOTLIGHT ON A MEMBER
Lori Steinbach and Lisa Sundberg, Visit Duluth
Visit Duluth’s Spotlight on a Member for April is Kernz & Kompany. Thank you to Ryan Kern for answering our questions.
Ryan opened his business in 1997 in Lincoln Park. He was planning to bring a signature air show back to Duluth and needed office space. Earl King, a building owner and aviation enthusiast gave Kernz & Kompany a great deal on office space to help get the business up and running.
Kernz and Kompany is a special event and marketing company which produces special events in house (ones they have created, found sponsors for, and developed) and produce events brought to them by business and community leaders.
Some of Ryan’s favorite events to date include the Air Show to Duluth featuring the US Navy Blue Angels and his involvement in bringing John Kerry’s presidential campaign to Duluth where Kernz & Kompany assisted in location/site selection, security, lighting and logistics.
Ryan feels joining Visit Duluth was a “no brainer.” He said the services and assistance in promoting their events provide a great way to get their message out to Minnesota and beyond.
Ryan’s favorite local event is the Duluth Air show; where else can you see billions of dollars of aviation and planes you have only seen on television? No where in Minnesota.
Stay tuned for details about the Air Show in 2008!
Kernz & Kompany
Ryan Kern
2110 West 1st Street
Duluth, MN 55806
(218) 628-9996
(218) 727-2654 fax
ryan@kernz.com
www.kernz.com
BROCHURE EXCHANGE
Visit Duluth will be having its annual brochure exchange. Bring your brochures and pick up other members’ brochures, as well as the Visitor Guide.
Thursday, May 10 - 1 pm-4 pm
Thursday, June 21 - 1 pm-4 pm
Thursday, July 26 - 1 pm-4 pm
Thursday, August 23 - 1 pm-4 pm
Snacks and beverages will be served. Hope to see you all there!
OFFICIAL WATERFRONT INFORMATION CENTER
The Waterfront Information Center, located in the Vista Fleet office, will be open seven days a week beginning Friday, May 11. Hours of operation will be Monday-Thursday from 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and Friday-Sunday from 11:00 am-7:00 pm. Beginning June 16, the hours will increase to 10:00 am-7:00 pm throughout the summer season.
“TOURISM IS PICKING UP DAY” – MAY 17
Each year, in conjunction with National Tourism Week, the Duluth Hospitality community teams up to pitch in and make our city sparkle for the upcoming summer season.
We are asking for volunteers to help clean up the Lakewalk and surroundings areas on Thursday, May 17 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Please contact Kim Holland at Visit Duluth (218) 625-8111 or email kimh@visitduluth.com with any questions or to sign up.
GROUP TOUR NEWS
Mary Nelson, Director of Packaged Travel, Visit Duluth
March and April have been busy months for booking a variety of groups. Tour operators and group leaders are looking for unique and different things to do. They tell me they appreciate making one contact at Visit Duluth to book a trip that includes many different attractions.
April and May include week-long, cooperative sales missions with the Roseville Visitors Association and the Burnsville Convention & Visitors Bureau. Appointments are made with current and new contacts to acquaint them with the venues of both areas. It’s a great opportunity to meet in person and offer a personal touch to our sales efforts.
If you would like additional members of your staff to receive the Membership News Brief, please contact Gail Walkowiak at gailw@visitduluth.com or call (218) 625-8104.
Visit Duluth, the city’s convention and visitor’s bureau, is Duluth’s only officially recognized destination marketing organization. Chartered in 1935, as a non-profit corporation, we represent more than 450 businesses that make up Duluth’s tourism industry. We are dedicated to promoting the area as one of America’s great vacation and meeting destinations while providing comprehensive, unbiased information to all travelers.
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