Saint Paul, MN - The Saint Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and Mayor Randy Kelly today announced the appointment of Karolyn Kirchgesler as President and CEO of the Bureau.

"I am thrilled to report that Karolyn has agreed to join us," said CVB Board Chair Chuck Paton. "She was the unanimous first choice of the selection committee by virtue of her enthusiasm, energy and optimism about Saint Paul."

Mayor Randy Kelly also interviewed Kirchgesler and enthusiastically approved her appointment. "I was most impressed by her extensive sales and marketing background," Kelly said. "We need her to help us keep Saint Paul's momentum going."

Kelly noted that the tourism and convention business is strong in Saint Paul. The city's hotel occupancy rate in September exceeded 71% (a 25% increase from September a year ago). "We're on the move in Saint Paul," Kelly said, "and Karolyn will be an important member of our city's development team."

Kirchgesler will begin work full-time by December 1. She will be in the city frequently until then as she completes her transition from Connecticut.

A native of South Dakota and a Political Science graduate of Moorhead State University, Kirchgesler served as Executive Director of the Aberdeen Convention and Visitors Bureau. It was under her leadership that the Aberdeen CVB separated from the Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce and significantly increased its funding. She then spent three years as Director of Sales and Marketing of the Sioux Falls Convention Center. Since 1997 she has been Executive Director of the Greater New Haven (Connecticut) Convention and Visitors Bureau. She has over 18 years' experience in the convention and tourism business.

"I am so glad to be coming to Saint Paul," Kirchgesler said. "This city has a national reputation as a premier destination for meetings and tourists. You have everything here - top hotels, great restaurants, and superb entertainment and education venues. My job is to help you market those destinations."

"With over a half billion dollars invested in new convention and tourism facilities in the last five years, it is clear that business and civic leaders in Saint Paul understand and value the importance of tourism," she said. "That continued understanding and support will be critical to our future success."

Kirchgesler was nominated after a national search by a Joint Search Committee consisting of public officials (City Council President Kathy Lantry, Councilmember Dan Bostrom, and Deputy Mayor Dennis Flaherty), and board members from the CVB and RiverCentre Authority.

The CVB's mission is to promote Saint Paul as a prime location for conventions, meetings, and tourism. CVB staff and its 350 members actively sell RiverCentre, the city's hotels, restaurants, museum, theatres, and other venues. Each year the Bureau's efforts help bring over 11.4 million visitors to the Capital City. The Bureau is funded by a portion of the city's hotel/motel tax and dues paid by its members.

The RiverCentre Authority is the board that runs the RiverCentre convention center. RCA board members served on the committee with the idea that Kirchgesler will become CEO of the soon-to-be-merged CVB and RiverCentre. Legislation to complete the merger will be introduced in the 2005 legislative session. Prior to the legislation, the CVB and RCA are already consolidating some of their activities.

Kirchgesler followed Tom Triplett, who served as Interim President of the CVB since August, 2003.


NOTE TO MEDIA: A digital image of Kirchgesler is available. To request that an image be emailed to you, please contact Pat Laurel, Publications and Graphics Coordinator at 651-265-4921 or [email protected].