Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau

At just 16, Jack Schripsema had already set a long-standing hospitality career in motion with his first job washing dishes at the local Holiday Inn.

Greater Lansing—historic, political and gritty—is enjoying a renaissance. “Downtown is growing by leaps and bounds and there is always something fun to do there,” says Diane Dick, the Michigan Association of School Administrators conference and events planner.

Jennifer Preslar concurs. The Michigan Association of Broadcasters planner recently arranged for 800 members of the group to gather in Michigan’s state capital for the annual Great Lakes Broadcasting Conference in March.

Due to the growth in tourism and group bookings in the Lansing area, the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority have partnered to assign the Lansing Center's future sales responsibilities to the GLCVB.

Michigan’s Team Lansing Foundation, along with the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau,revealed Doug Klein, CTA, executive director of the Mason Area Chamber of Commerce, as the 2016 Greater Lansing Certified Tourism Ambassador of the Year. He received his award at the 2017 Greater Lansing CVB Annual Meeting held on Feb. 21 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing; Klein is one of more than 500 CTAs in the area.

The MACVB has appointed its new officers for the 2017 calendar. The newly elected officers are:

• President: Jack Schripsema (Lansing)
• Past President: Linda Freybler (Calhoun County)
• Vice President: Linda Hoath (Sault Ste. Marie)
• Secretary: Chris Rowley (Mount Pleasant)
• Treasurer: Bob Lukens (Muskegon)
• Members at Large: Tim Hygh (Mackinac Island)
• Amanda Wilkin (Charlevoix)

MACVB is made up of the 46 member convention and visitor bureaus all throughout Michigan.

Proud to announce its new Board of Officers for 2017, The Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau’s roster is finally complete. “We are very fortunate to have such a vital, dedicated group of business professionals and community leaders comprising our Board,” says Jack Schripsema, president. “I look forward to working with them to promote the Greater Lansing community.”

Board

Mark Alley, Chair from Emergent BioDenfense Operations Lansing, LLC

Kendric Hall, Vice Chair from Radisson Hotel & Lansing at the Capital

The Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau received the Diamond Award from the Michigan Society of Association Executives at the 15th Annual Awards Banquet held in Plymouth.

for the CVB won Best Website for an organization with an annual operating budget at or above $1 million. The GLCVB competed with close to 60 other entries for the award.

When you work in the tourism industry, diplomatic savvy comes in handy. Julie Pingston, CMP, CTA, gained hers in the field.

Pingston, senior vice president and chief operating office at the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau (GLCVB), started her career as a campaign intern for George Bush the elder. After he was elected, Pingston, newly graduated from Alma College, was appointed to the nowdefunct U.S. Travel and Tourism Association, a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce.