(Saint Paul, MN) The Saint Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau held its 2005 Annual Meeting yesterday at the University Club Downtown Clubhouse in Saint Paul. Mayor Randy Kelly was the keynote speaker and he addressed the Bureau's plan to merge with the RiverCentre Authority later this spring. The merger of the two organizations was approved by the membership, the Saint Paul City Council and the boards of both organizations last year, and now awaits only legislative approval before the final steps are taken.
While noting an optimistic forecast for the tourism and hospitality industry for the next year, Mayor Kelly cited four areas of opportunities to improve tourism and marketing for the Saint Paul area; creating and promoting major events and attractions, addressing the possible need for a new convention hotel, revisiting the debt structure for RiverCentre, and strengthening the sales and marketing staffs of the newly formed organization.
In light of the pending merger with the RiverCentre Authority this spring, the Board of Directors agreed to keep the existing slate of members in service on the board until a new joint board is named following the merger. Board members who shall remain in service are: Executive Committee Members Chair - Chuck Paton, The Saint Paul Hotel, Treasurer - Mary Jo Woolf, Xcel Energy, Secretary - Ed Christie, Forepaugh's, Representative to the Joint Powers Executive Committee - Steve Harper, Radisson Riverfront Hotel Saint Paul. Board Members: Bruce Chesin, Holiday Inn Saint Paul East, Dave Fernald, Ecolab, Susan Franson, Northwest Airlines, Ken Golder, Holiday Inn RiverCentre, Doug Hennes, University of Saint Thomas, Mark Berryman Hier, Minnesota Life, Kathy Lantry, Saint Paul City Council, Ricardo Lopez, Wildside Caterers, Greg Mazanec, Saint Paul Pioneer Press, James McDonough, Ramsey County Board of Commissioners, Daniel Parker, Whiteway Cleaners, Terry Ployhart, 3M Meeting and Event Management, Joe Reid, RiverCentre Authority, Pam Wheelock, Minnesota Sports and Entertainment.
Board Chair Chuck Paton, general manager of The Saint Paul Hotel reviewed the accomplishments of 2004, which included hosting and servicing several amazing events which drew millions of visitors to the city. Special recognition was given to some of these events including the NHL All Star Game, the Saint Paul Winter Carnival Ice Palace, Grand Excursion 2004 and the fifth and final year of the Peanuts campaign.
Newly appointed President and CEO Karolyn Kirchgesler spoke to the future, addressing goals such as forming new partnerships and strengthening existing alliances to bid on larger, higher profile conventions, focusing on sports marketing to successfully bid on events which can be accommodated in the Xcel Energy Center and other Saint Paul facilities, and developing new marketing materials in cooperation with RiverCentre and its affiliates in order to promote the city in a more cohesive manner.
The Bureau also held a brief awards ceremony honoring several organizations for contributions made during the past year. Winners for 2004 include Best Buy for Convention of the Year for its Holiday Leadership meeting, Home Town Hero Award Winner Carol Hockert, Director of Weights and Measure Division for the State of Minnesota for bringing the national conference of Standard Laboratories International to Saint Paul in 2007, Wildside Caterers as Member of the Year and Ordway Center for the Performing Arts as Tourism Partner of the Year. This year's recipient of the Super S.T.A.R Award is Kirsten Holmgren, of the Holiday Inn RiverCentre, Senior Volunteer Program members Irene Foot and June Blomberg were named Volunteers of the Year and Tom Getzke, currently the executive vice president of the Builders Exchange of Saint Paul earned the Lifetime Achievement Award for his 22 years of service at the Saint Paul Bureau.

For more information on the Saint Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau, or to request a copy of the annual report please visit the web site at www.visitstpaul.com or call 651-265-4900 or 1-800-627-6101.