Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau Restructures to Increase Membership Responsiveness

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. - As part of its ongoing strategic planning effort, the Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau has promoted two staffers, while redefining an additional position title to ensure a proactive and robust method of exceeding membership expectations.

The changes went into effect July 1, at the onset of bureau's 2013-2014 fiscal year.

• Kelley Mishler, an eight-year veteran of the bureau, has been promoted to Director, Member and Event Services. Her new leadership role gives her front-line responsibility for cultivating, growing and deepening relationships with new and existing members throughout all of Montgomery County, Pa. She was formerly the service manager for the convention sales department, a position she held since 2007. She is a past winner of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association's Nice Touch Award and the Pennsylvania Tourism and Lodging Association's Spirit of Hospitality Guest Relations Award. Mishler is a Gettysburg College graduate.
• Jake Markezin is now Director, Administration. Markezin has been with the bureau for 15 years, fulfilling integral positions that have included communications manager and publications manager. His new title formalizes many of the human resource, finance and compliance responsibilities he has been shouldering, with the addition of oversight of the bureau's IT department.
• Debbie Repas is now Manager, Membership Sales. Repas joined the bureau in 2012 with a dual role: executive assistant to the president and membership sales manager. Her reconfigured position will enable her to devote 100 percent of her efforts to the membership side. She looks forward to assisting members with a host of issues, including navigation of the bureau's extranet, networking opportunities and recruitment.

Bill Fitzgerald, president of the Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau, comments on the changes: "As the bureau maps its future steps in our effort to remain at the forefront of all things Montgomery County, these promotions not only recognize the dedication and hard work of our staff, they also increase our efficiency, responsiveness and focus. Our membership is vital to our success in spurring the tourism trade on a regional and even national basis, as we work continually to inform visitors of our exceptional hotels, distinguished restaurants and one-of-a-kind attractions and events.

"I'm proud of our accomplishments thus far, and these promotions are recognition of that hard work," Fitzgerald says. "Together with our members and our community of supporters and champions, there's no reason we can't make Montgomery County, Pa., one of the premier tourist destinations in the nation."

The Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ltd. is a nonprofit, membership-based sales and marketing organization that actively promotes the Valley Forge area and Montgomery County as a convention site and leisure visitor destination by encouraging patronage of its 300-plus member hotels, restaurants, attractions and services. The Bureau's website serves visitors, meeting planners, tour operators and residents, as well as hosting The Pursuit, a twice-weekly blog.