Photo by Matthew Mitchell Photography on behalf of Michigan Society of Association Executives
Genesee County native Amari Steward is now at the helm of Explore Flint & Genesee, a division of Flint & Genesee Group. Previously senior sales manager for Explore Flint & Genesee, Steward has been with the organization since 2016. Before that, she worked with IHG and Marriot brands in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Managing a Fairfield Inn & Suites in Fenton, she also led a newly opened Holiday Inn Express in Dayton.
At Explore Flint & Genesee, she has focused on bringing meetings and events to the region—most notably the Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, which returned to Flint in 2021. She’s also especially proud of partnering with the University of Michigan-Flint to bring the Society of Environmental Journalists to Flint.
“The group consisted of over 500 attendees from across the world who came together to meet in Flint,” she says. “During their visit, we coordinated individual tours across the county, guest speakers from the community, and locations for meetings, dinners, and social events.”
In her new role, she’s excited about the opportunity to be an active participant in the county’s growth. “Being a Flint native, I feel honored to be able to serve my community in this leadership capacity to help build our tourism economy and work to create a fun and exciting place for locals and visitors,” Steward explains, noting that being able to tap the resources of the Flint & Genesee Group helps strengthen what she and her staff can accomplish.
“The Group houses a Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Organization, and Education & Talent division among the Convention & Visitors Bureau,” she says. “So I am able to pull from these various facets and work with teammates who are experts in a variety of fields.”
Steward succeeds former Executive Director Alaina Wiens, who was promoted to chief marketing and communications officer for the Flint & Genesee Group Jan. 1.
