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Promoting Kalamazoo touted in breakfast lecture

by Mark Schwerin

April 20, 2011 | WMU News

Photo of Greg Ayers.
Greg Ayers
KALAMAZOO--A local audience will get a view from the top on bolstering Kalamazoo at the April presentation of the Keystone Community Bank Breakfast Speaker Series at Western Michigan University.

Greg Ayers, president of the Kalamazoo County Convention and Visitors Bureau, will speak at 8 a.m. Friday, April 29, in the Dean's Conference Room of Schneider Hall, home of the Haworth College of Business. His talk, titled "Promoting Kalamazoo as a Visitor Destination," is free and open to the public.

The event begins with a continental breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Reservations are required and may be made by calling (269) 387-6059. Free parking is available in the Fetzer Center parking lot.

Ayers came to Kalamazoo in 2007 to become the president of the Kalamazoo County Convention and Visitor's Bureau, doing business as DiscoverKalamazoo. Since his arrival, the organization has been active in positioning the destination for many future successes. The implementation of a three-year strategic plan, development of several partnerships throughout the community, creation of a new destination brand and the launch of a new website are some of the significant accomplishments of his team.

Ayers many local involvements include the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport's Business Retention and Recruitment Committee, the Greater Kalamazoo United Way Campaign Cabinet and the Downtown Kalamazoo Inc. Board of Directors.

Prior to arriving in southwest Michigan, Ayers served as the executive director of the South Bend/Mishawaka (Indiana) Convention and Visitors Bureau for eight-and-a-half years. He began his career in the destination marketing organization industry in 1995, when he was named director of the Bloomington-Normal (Illinois) Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The speaker series is underwritten by Keystone Community Bank.

For more information, contact Valorie Juergens, Haworth College of Business, at valorie.juergens@wmich.edu or (269) 387-5964.