CAMBRIDGE, Illinois – The Henry County Tourism Bureau has selected Kelly Wolf, an experienced tourism/hospitality leader, to be the tourism director of the newly relaunched organization.
In a news release last week, the bureau said Ms. Wolf brings a wealth of experience in tourism and hospitality to the team. A native of Geneseo in Henry County, she has more than 15 years of experience, primarily gained in Houston, Texas, where she contributed to various aspects of the city’s tourism industry, the release said.
In her most recent role as the Henry County’s RISE (Research in Illinois to Spur Economic Recovery) Grant coordinator, she developed the 2024 Strategic Tourism Plan for the western Illinois county. She assumed her new duties effective Monday, July 1.
“We’re excited to have Kelly on board,” Gary Bradley, who chairs the tourism bureau’s board, said in the release. “She did a tremendous job of working with the bureau to put together the tourism plan, and we think she’ll do an even better job of implementing that plan over the next few years, helping each community and Henry County in our efforts to maximize the economic impact the tourism sector can have on our local communities.”
As director, Ms. Wolf will collaborate closely with partners from the tourism bureau, Henry County Economic Development Director Jim Kelly, as well as the neighboring tourism communities.
In an email to the QCBJ, Mr. Kelly said the new director will be tasked with attending as many events as possible in the county “to understand what draws tourists to us as well as improving all facts within the county for tourism.” Ms. Wolf, who was chosen from a large pool of qualified candidates, was expected to attend the Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute Concert held in Bishop Hill’s Village Park this past weekend.
Ms. Wolf also is the owner of Caffeine and Carbs in Geneseo, which she will continue to operate. She will have set hours with the tourism bureau at the Henry County Courthouse in Cambridge.
“It’s a great privilege to be able to contribute to Henry County’s tourism efforts. Having grown up here, I’m excited to bring back the knowledge and experience I’ve gained to support the community’s growth,” she said in the release. “I’m looking forward to collaborating with colleagues and partners across the county and surrounding areas to further enhance Henry County’s tourism landscape.”
Along with her extensive background, Ms. Wolf holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in hospitality and tourism management from Purdue University.
She takes the reins of the organization as it is in a rebuilding mode and laser focused on promoting the county as a tourist destination.
According to the release, after the Henry County Tourism Bureau became inactive in 2021, the county worked with stakeholders and local government officials to form a new Henry County Tourism Board.
We have worked on getting our tourism bureau back up and not just operating, but getting certified as a CVB (Convention & Visitors Bureau) within Illinois for over two and a half years,” Mr. Kelly said. “I am extremely grateful to our entire county board for voting this project in to fund it and supporting tourism as well as 10 communities who are all helping fund the position.”
The stakeholders’ goal is to reintroduce a tourism bureau that provides a stronger engagement of all tourism-related stakeholders in the county.
The plan not only aims to take advantage of the existing resources and attractions, but to also explore new opportunities for growth and to attract a larger number of visitors, the release said.
Among the county’s communities represented by the bureau are: Andover, Annawan, Atkinson, Bishop Hill, Cambridge, Colona, Galva, Geneseo, Kewanee, Orion and Woodhull.
