Serving as interim vice president of Travel Michigan since January, Kelly Wolgamott has been appointed to the role permanently—with her title updated to vice president of Pure Michigan. That’s the campaign aimed at marketing Michigan as a travel and tourism destination. It’s managed by Travel Michigan, a division of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC).
Wolgamott joined Travel Michigan and MEDC in 2011, serving as director of travel marketing until accepting the interim position when former vice president Dave Lorenz retired at the end of last year. Before she came to MEDC, she held marketing and public relations roles with General Motors and the Leo Burnett Worldwide advertising agency.
In a letter to industry leaders, MEDC Chief Growth & Marketing Officer Hilary Doe said the new title is “designed to reflect the iconic status of our state’s premiere campaign.”
“Through her years of dedication, wealth of industry knowledge, and marketing prowess, Kelly has demonstrated that her talents and expertise are invaluable in leading Michigan’s efforts to promote our state as the top four-season destination for travelers across the country and around the world,” Doe says.
Working on the Pure Michigan campaign for 13 years, Wolgamott says she’s deep into planning for next year and 2026, when Pure Michigan marks its 20th anniversary. “We’re aligning with what our goals and objectives are for the campaign and the state, and looking to see how we can maintain relevancy with our target audiences,” she says. “Travel continues to change and evolve like everything else in life. By using the research we have at hand, we make connections with those audiences and showcase how Michigan is set apart from any other travel destination in the world. … That’s the point that I’m really focused on—how can we continue to move the needle when it comes to the Pure Michigan campaign?”
Wolgamott says her team is dedicated to strengthening the Pure Michigan website with its trip-planning tools. The campaign’s focus on accessibility and inclusivity will continue, and its partner/co-op program offering a dollar-for-dollar match to carry out promotions with destination marketing organizations across the state is expanding. “It’s a great opportunity for us to have one united voice in the state with the Pure Michigan campaign while also highlighting our destinations with a co-op program,” Wolgamott notes. “We’re working very hard to provide meaningful marketing and research opportunities for our partners. They can be a part of the Pure Michigan campaign through a variety of marketing platforms from digital display programmatic platforms to social media and connected TV to video production.”
Meanwhile, if she wasn’t already all-in on the message of the Pure Michigan campaign, Wolgamott completed the Mackinac Bridge Swim this past summer. The approximately 4 1/2-mile swim from Mackinaw City to St. Ignace is an annual fundraiser for first responders in both municipalities. She trained for 10 months in pools and then open water. Finally, in the Straits of Mackinac alongside the Mackinac Bridge, using its towers rising above her as beacons, she made her way in the choppy waves for about three hours. The experience brought home for her again what it is that makes Michigan stand out, she says.
“It’s probably the most beautiful and most difficult thing I ever accomplished,” she says. “How many people get to be next to the bridge, swimming by it? It was such an incredible day.
“And what’s one of the most iconic representations of our state? The Mackinac Bridge,” Wolgamott continues. “I’ve held a sincere appreciation for the beauty we have throughout our two peninsulas—from the hearts of our cities to the remote reaches of our forests and waters. After going through all that training and experiencing the Mackinac Bridge from a unique and new perspective, I found that I’m still inspired by how incredible our state is. I have known that all along—I was born and raised here—and I want to continue to share Michigan with the world.”
The MEDC has also announced the appointment of Carrie Jones Grace as senior vice president of travel, media, and industry relations. Grace will oversee the Travel Michigan team, along with the Michigan Film Office and MEDC communications staff. Most recently, she served as deputy chief of staff for Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. Prior to that, she was executive director of the Michigan Venture Capital Association, having previously served as the Michigan film commissioner and director.
