ST. GEORGE — Brittany McMichael is taking the helm of the Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office, replacing former director Kevin Lewis, who has accepted a position in Washington state.
The Washington County commissioners appointed McMichael, who has served as the assistant director for the tourism office for the last five years, to start immediately.
McMichael has over 24 years of experience in many roles within the convention and tourism industry and said she is grateful for her expertise, knowledge and the team’s support in the tourism office.
Her creed? “One issue a day, and one day at a time.”
“Kevin and I have worked together seamlessly for the past five years,” she said. “Our strengths are extremely complementary and it’s hard to see that dynamic change. I feel a bit overwhelmed, but over the past 24 years, I’ve been through lots of changes.”
Commissioner Victor Iverson said McMichael has always been the “magic behind the curtain.” He said she and the tourism department have successfully executed many world-class events.
“We are proud to say the tourism office won’t skip a beat with Brittany at the helm,” Iverson added. “We are very excited and have complete confidence in her as we look forward to a seamless transition.”
McMichael said she looks forward to the tourism team moving into the new Washington County Administration building. The tourism office will be under one roof for the first time in years. Having the entire team together will increase their efforts and efficiency, she said, adding that while 2022 was a banner year, 2023 will also bring about unbelievable opportunities.
“We’re opening an amazing new visitor center, hosting several new conventions, and working on exciting partnerships within the film industry,” McMichael said.
And despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, she said they have seen unprecedented success in the past five years.
“Washington County proved to be a destination that recovered in an unparalleled way,” she said. “This success can be attributed to strong leadership, strategic planning, wonderful partners and the willingness to work toward a common goal. I’m thrilled for the future.”
In a news release issued by the county, Commissioner Gil Almquist said he appreciated Lewis’s tireless years of service to the limitless potential of the Greater Zion tourism strategy and that Washington County is lucky to have had McMichael’s input in creating and executing these strategies over the years.
“Many of you may already know her from various activities and events at the Dixie Convention Center, where she has a sterling reputation for making everyone feel welcome with her excited demeanor and undeterred kindness,” Almquist said.
Over the past 13 months, the tourism office was the local organizing committee responsible for planning three Ironman World Championship events. This included two Ironman70.3 World Championship races plus the Ironman World Championship race, which brought in over $120 million in economic impact, according to a news release.
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.