BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Hotel Mead, Wisconsin Rapids
September 22, 2011, 2011

Attendees: Lynn Peters/Fox Cities, Christine Rebout/Janesville, Sara Brish/Stevens Point, Dave Blank/Racine, Wendy Hielsberg/Oshkosh, Jason Ring/Manitowoc, Jack Moneypenny/Door County, Nancy Justman/Brookfield, Tammy Tritz/Waukesha-Pewaukee, AJ Frels/Wisconsin Rapids, Deb Archer/Madison, Deb Fredriksen/Beloit, George Hennerley/Lake Geneva, Paul Upchurch/Milwaukee, Linda John/Visit Eau Claire, Cari Obst/Bayfield

Absent: Chris Hanson/Tomah, Bob Duffy/Oconomowoc, Sharon Kirn/Marshfield, Dennis DuChene/Kenosha, Darien Schaefer/Wausau-Central WI, Mary McPhetridge/Ashland, Elaine Motl/Washington County, Romy Snyder/Wisconsin Dells, Brad Toll/Green Bay, Craig Molitor/Fond du Lac, Dave Clements/La Crosse, Amy Wilson/Sheboygan

Guests:  Sarah Klavas/WI Dept. of Tourism, Connie Heeg/Eagle River, Greg Smith & Emmy Fink/Discover Wisconsin

I. WACVB BUSINESS

a. Call to Order - Chair Wendy Hielsberg called the meeting to order at 1:40 pm. 

b. Consent Agenda - Lynn Peters made a motion to approve the minutes, seconded by Sara.   Motion was approved.  Julia Hertel reviewed the financials.   Deb and AJ motion to approve.  Motion approved.

Sarah Klavas, WI Department of Tourism Industry Relations Director – Sarah said she is the link between WACVB and the Department and she is looking for even more synergies between the two organizations.  The four regional tourism specialists will be at the fall convention as well as Sarah, Dave, Stephanie and those doing a breakout – Dawn, Kelly, Abbie.  Post Council meeting phone calls to the industry by the specialists will continue.  The Department hired Bill Geist to determine how smaller destinations can better embrace tourism through strategic planning and Power of Tourism presentations.  Power of tourism piece is being developed and she’ll share that with Julia to share with members when it is ready.  Longwoods is coming to the Department on October 12 to review new research and Sarah will likely be taking the lead.  The Department is also working with UW extension to help communicate the Longwoods research.  The Department is in Year 3 of its strategic business plan and they are getting ready to working on a new plan.   Dave and Stephanie going on editorial board visits with the economic impact of tourism message.  Sarah will let the CVBs in the media markets know where/when of the visit.  The Department is bringing business people with them.  Julie Feldman is the new communications director and a political appointee.  She has pr and graphic design staff under her and agency oversight.  Meetings Means Business grant program first grant round is December 1.  There are five applications for destination marketing grants.  Three are for brand development, two for execution.  Sarah thought that there would be more.  She still thinks research funds should still be made available.  Sarah attended US Travel Association’s ESTTO conference and it was very good.  Lots of discussion about finding innovative ways to do more marketing with less.  Lynn suggested that a future meeting topic is research.   Jack wondered why Travelwisconsin.com used to be a top 10 referral for Door County, now it’s off the map.  Deb asked where we should direct requests for the M&C and Sports WI additional funding. Sarah said through the council committees or a proposal directly to the Department.  Dave Blank was wondering with the new DMAI Event Calculator if the Department could help push for adding a sports event component since their new vendor also created the calculator.

II. TEAM REPORTS

a. Government Affairs Team – Tammy Tritz reported that WHLA and our lobbyist met with Gov. Walker’s office on the room tax reform bill.   The bill is not yet out of drafting.   Amy thinks it could make it through this session, but we have to move fast.  AB 205 that provides out-of-state advertising credits has been introduced. We have registered in support. We have registered in support of AB 216, the outdoor advertising maintenance bill.  Dave will be sending out a buddy message reminder next week.  TFW met in early September and is working on an e-newsletter about the summer season.  February 8th there are plans to have a joint tourism lobby day.  2013 industry lobby day will hopefully be in Madison tied to the Gov. Conf. on Tourism.  Tourism business improvement district discussion.  Wondering what the best approach.  Hamilton would help craft the enabling language to allow TBIDs to be created.  We need to decide if we are pursuing it and will discuss.  Concealed carry discussion for a future meeting.  Employee manuals may need to be adjusted.

b. PR Team – Julia said WACVB will be at the League of Wisconsin Municipalities conference with a booth.

c. Education Team - Nancy Justman reported that the Social Media forum went well and thanked Green Bay Area CVB for helping with the location set up.  Julia went over the Nov. 3 & 4 fall convention details and asked everyone to register and help promote it. Trailblazer applications are being accepted through October 5th and WACVB encourages members to apply. Nancy and Christine said the UMCVB conference went well. 

d. M&C Team – Deb reported that Dave Clements will be vice chair of the M&C committee.   The M& C grant program is now available.  WACVB is updating thinkwisconsin.com web site updates and we encourage input on changes.  Tradeshow survey is out and we encourage members to complete it.  We are still trying to change the Department’s messaging for the M&C market.  M&C Grant committee hasn’t been formed yet and we should make recommendations to the Department on appointments.    The Department is in need of more M&C images. There was discussion that there could be accounting problems with the grant program because of how the department is delaying payments to the grantee until the event occurs, which may impact future grant funding amounts.  Isn’t there another state granting agency that you can encumber the funds from one fiscal year to the next?

e. Membership Team – AJ said the team is working on survey topics.  He has approached Lamers Bus about becoming a corporate partner.

f. Sports Marketing team – Linda John team said there were five applications requesting $75000 in the first grant round.  The Department is providing the team with $5000 to fund a gift to the top 50 leads from the TEAMS tradeshow.  WACVB members will get leads from show.  ROI tracking continues to be a challenge.  We need to develop an FY 12 proposal for management of sportswisconsin.com.  We should have a decision by the end of October on whether WSDC can create a statewide sports commission.  It’s a long shot.

g. Visitor Center Taskforce – There will be a visitor center committee on the Governor’s Council, focusing mostly on the Hudson travel center.  Members said they need more clarification on the brochure approval process and what GVICs are participating in coop center program. 

III. CORPORATE PARTNER PRESENTATION:  Greg Smith gave an update on Discover Wisconsin/Discover Mediaworks.  He introduced the new Discover WI host, Emmy Fink.  She is   from Racine County and was a TV reporter in Madison before joining Discover Wisconsin.  2012 Discover WI will be having a 25th anniversary party at the WI Gov. Conference on Tourism.  Randy Prasse starts with Discovermediaworks next week as a destination marketing sales person.

IV. ADJOURNMENT:  Lynn Peters made a motion to adjourn and it was seconded by Dave and approved.