Lake Placid, Adirondacks USA – The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism/Lake Placid CVB is pleased to announce the results of the 2011 Board of Directors election.

Over the last 60 years, the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism has evolved from the Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce, providing traditional business services and tourism promotion, to the accredited Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Lake Placid and Essex County through traditional marketing efforts, communications, and destination planning.


The board of directors, responsible for governing the organization, is comprised of 15 individuals, with at least one director from each of the four tourism regions in Essex County; the Lake Placid/High Peaks, Lake Champlain, Schroon Lake and Whiteface regions. The 2011 slate of officers are as follows: Chair, Justin Smith, Northwoods Inn and Prestige Hospitality Group; Vice Chair, Ed Finnerty, Champlain National Bank; Second Vice Chair, Joe Kelly, Glens Falls National Bank; Treasurer, Mike Beglin, Beglin’s Jewelers, and Secretary Jenn Webb, Golden Arrow Resort.

Newly elected Directors include Beth Hill, Executive Director at Fort Ticonderoga; the Lake Champlain Region representative, and Bob Hockert, owner of Little Peak Chalet and Clearwater Camp vacation rentals, and the Whiteface Region’s board representative. Joe Kelly was reelected to a second term, and is the Schroon Lake Region representative.

They join sitting Directors Deborah Fitts, Lake Placid Sinfonietta; Mary Ann Hawley, Parajax, Inc.; Kate Fish, Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA); Deb McLean, the UPS Store, Jamie Rogers, energy program coordinator at ANCA; Charlie Cowan, financial consultant with Janney Montgomery Scott; and Carol Brown, president of North Country Community College.

“With representatives from diverse facets of the business community, including lodging, retailers, financial institutions, attractions, the arts and educators, the Board of Directors represents a broad range of perspectives and expertise,” said James McKenna, CEO of the DMO. “Our Board commits a lot of time on behalf of the work that we do to promote our destinations, and we extend our gratitude to them all, with special recognition to our outgoing Director, Don Poulsen of Swedish Hill Winery for his dedication.”

“I’m proud to be part of this great team of dedicated volunteers, and excited and optimistic about 2011, said board chair Justin Smith. “With the upcoming opening of the new Conference Center at Lake Placid, and other positive momentum such as the destination planning projects throughout the County, it promises to be a terrific year for our organization and the destinations we represent.”

The election took place during the business portion of the members’ annual meeting on January 31. The business meeting was adjourned, to be reconvened with the social portion this spring in celebration of the opening of the new Conference Center at Lake Placid.

The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is a private, 501c6 not-for-profit corporation. Most recently doing business as the Lake Placid/Essex County Visitors Bureau, the organization has continuously evolved to stay ahead of the changing destination marketplace. Marketing partner news and resources can be found on the organization’s website, www.roostadk.com.