From historic home tours to food and music festivals, spring in Columbus comes with a variety of events for locals and visitors to enjoy.
The Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau and Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation organize or support many of these events designed to encourage tourism in the city. The two groups were governed by the same board until they voted to separate in March 2023.
Nancy Carpenter, who formerly acted as CEO for both the CVB and CCHF simultaneously, announced in November she would be leaving the visitors bureau. Her contract with the CVB ended in March, but she remains the CEO of the nonprofit foundation.
With this change in leadership, how is the CVB faring during the busy season? And what is the visitors bureau doing until it finds a new executive director?
Searching for a new director
In November, the CVB board voted to start the search process for a new executive director in anticipation of Carpenter’s departure.
Board President Liz Terry said the search started with establishing a committee – consisting of board members Quinn Brislin, Matt Bogue and Melodie Cunningham – to create a description for the position.
The board has not started advertising for the position yet, but Terry said the committee has finished a list of qualifications for the position.
“It should be starting soon,” she told The Dispatch Friday. “We should find out something probably at our next board meeting as it relates to exactly when they’ll have advertisements out.”
The board’s next meeting is April 23. Terry said the board plans for the new director to take office by the beginning of October.
“It’s just a matter of when is a good time to start the (hiring) process,” she said.
Current leadership
In February, the CVB board appointed Frances Glenn to interim tourism director and Sharon Johnson to interim business director, each receiving a $60,000 salary for the promotion.
The pair began their duties at the start of April. Terry said the new arrangement has worked well so far.
“They’re both familiar with the activities of the CVB,” she said. “I think that has been a tremendous help in them being able to carry on without any problems.”
Glenn is handling the financial and business matters for the CVB, Terry said, while Johnson is taking on all marketing efforts, including activities and events.
Terry said she feels confident about the current arrangement while the committee looks for a new director.
“We have a lot of activities going on this month with Catfish in the Alley and the home tours, and that’s all going pretty smoothly,” she said.
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
