News Releases for December 2002
December 23, 2002
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Hoeven Names Sara Otte Coleman Tourism Director
Search Committee Advances Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau Director
BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. John Hoeven today named Sara Otte Coleman North Dakota’s new tourism director. Coleman is currently the director of administration and marketing for the Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). She will begin on January 16, 2003.
Coleman has served since 1996 as the director of administration and marketing for the Bismarck-Mandan CVB. Between 1987 and 1996, she served the bureau as the director of marketing and sales and as a sales representative.
A search committee of private-sector industry leaders and governor’s staff selected Coleman from a field of more than 50 applicants. The candidates were narrowed to six, and last week Coleman’s name was advanced to the Governor.
Hoeven said both the selection and the process are important, because North Dakota tourism, by every measure and in every category, is growing across the state. Tourism, he said, is now North Dakota’s second leading industry, after agriculture. From east to west, North Dakota tourism destinations in 2002 have shown very positive numbers, according to the state Department of Commerce.
“We engaged in a wide-ranging, and thoughtful process with industry professionals from across the state in order to find the very best candidate for North Dakota,” Hoeven said. “Sara brings a broad perspective, a great track record and statewide support to the job of marketing North Dakota effectively to the nation and the world.” Hoeven thanked the committee for their hard work.
“We’re extremely pleased to have Sara onboard,” said Commissioner Lee Peterson of the North Dakota Commerce Department, which oversees the Division of Tourism. “We look forward to the benefit of her experience and leadership in this very important economic sector.”
David Borlaug, committee member and president of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Foundation, said, “Our involvement is a first for the industry. We felt very privileged that the Governor asked us to participate. The fact that he turned to the industry for help and guidance meant a lot to us.”
Cole Carley, a search committee member and executive director of the Fargo-Moorhead CVB, said, “Sara has both the passion and the experience to lead the tourism industry in North Dakota. She is full of the energy and dedication that many people in tourism have, but she also possesses a wealth of knowledge about marketing in general and marketing tourism in particular.”
Charles Jeske, a committee member and manager of the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, said, “This is a great opportunity for Sara. She’ll be a great addition to tourism for North Dakota.”
Private-sector committee members were:
- Charles Jeske - Manager, Alerus Center, Grand Forks
- Cole Carley - Executive Director, Fargo-Moorhead Convention and Visitors Bureau
- David Borlaug - President, ND Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Foundation
- Terry Thiel - Executive Director, Dickinson Convention and Visitors Bureau
William Goetz, Chief of Staff, Office of the Governor, chaired the committee. Kathy Ibach, Communications Director, Human Resources Advisor, Office of the Governor; and Ron Rauschenberger, Senior Advisor, Office of the Governor, also served on the committee.
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