CVB hires Lambert as executive director UPDATED

 The Highland County Convention and Visitor's Bureau has hired Hillsboro resident Bob Lambert as its new executive director. 

 Along with Lambert, the bureau's board also hired John Michael McGuire as a new website and technical assistant. 

 The CVB board, including president Kirby Ellison, vice president Highland County Commissioner Tom Horst, and treasurer Kathryn Hapner, met on March 22 to interview approximately five candidates for the position. 

 "Bob came to the interview with a list of ideas and thoughts on what he felt the executive director should be and and do, and he gave his thoughts on how he felt he could be serve in that office and promote Highland County," Hapner said. 

 Hapner said that, "It is obvious Bob has the qualifications and is dedicated to the Hillsboro and Highland County Community. He is the sort of person we need in that office."

Lambert said that he is ready to take up the challenges of the position. 

"The director position is a part time position at this point but with a full time responsiblilty for recognizing the assets and promoting Highland County as a visitor destination," Lambert said. "The position is a mix of cheerleader, author, magazine publisher, copy writer, event coordinator and spokesperson. I believe my efforts in Highland County to this point have given me the tools to help create a strong presence for our area in print, radio and electronic publishing. Every day I am amazed at the talent and innovation of people who live in Highland County and their willingness to help us put "our best foot forward" to visitors from across the area. The previous director did a wonderful job of getting the word out to prospective visitors and I hope to build and expand those efforts in the coming months." 

 The board was also impressed by the interview given by McGuire, and so the position was created to play to his technical experience. He will be in charge of making sure the website is updated and postings are made regularly, she said. 

 "John lives in Columbus but has connections to the area," Hapner said. "He's got financial experience, which we thought the CVB could benefit from. He had a lot of suggestions about the website, and we thought that instead of giving it all to one person that maybe we should split the position."

Lambert thinks that there will be a strong partnership between himself and McGuire. 

"Mike McGuire and I will be working closely to improve the county visitor website and create a more active online presence in social networking and advertising sites," Lambert said. "His experience with his family business at Rocky Fork Lake and his promotion of events there is a welcome addition to the CVB new direction. The CVB board members come from a wide variety of backgrounds and interests and are supportive of our efforts to bring attention to Highland County. Our county commissioners are the guiding light of the CVB and I am inspired by their enthusiasm and love of Highland County and it's rich history. I look forward to working with all of them in promoting Highland County."

 The board does not currently have a meeting scheduled, but Hapner said it will be sometime in the near future. They are currently working on promotional projects such as a bass derby at Rocky Fork Lake, and are looking into the possibility of a Mountain Dew Festival.

Lambert said that one of the challenges is making area residents see the beauty and benefits of Highland County that they have grown used to.

"Moving to Hillsboro a few years ago was a pleasant surprise for me when I saw the historic courthouse, the tree lined streets of beautiful homes, the quaint townships and small communities, the countryside of farms and livestock operations. I was also inspired by the ingenuity and creativity of the artisans and craftsmen who create handmade candles, soaps and lotions, quilts and art items that are of high quality and great value. The local restaurants and bakeries have delicious food and a wide variety of antique shops and specialty retailers offer a unique shopping experience. My only disappointment was that some long term residents didn't see the beauty and charm because it had always been a part of the fabric of their community. We are lucky to live in the America most people could only imagine in their best dreams. One of my first goals is to give Highland County residents a "new set of eyes" in which to view our area. Next would be to encourage everyone to "see Highland County first" and plan visits to some of our attractions and natural wonders to better serve as 'hosts' when we have company coming. Putting our best foot forward gives the weekend visitor a pleasant experience and encourages repeat visits that stimulate the local economy."

The CVB is about promoting what Highland County has to offer, and Lambert said "heritage tourism" is a growing industry. 

  "We are not competing with Orlando, Gatlinburg, Cincinnati or even Middletown as a tourist destination. We offer our unique gifts and charm to the weekend traveler, the antique collector, the craft collector and the sportsmen as a respite from city life. Heritage tourism is a growing area of interest as well as Agri-tainment attractions. Most children in America have never seen livestock up close or walked a newly plowed field or explored a barn built in the 1800s all things we take for granted. Farm tourism is a growing area, no pun intended. Our county fair is one of the best in Ohio and if we could attract more visitors from Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus it could continue it's growth and excellence showcasing the best of Highland County. The Festival of the Bells is a great example of a local event that now draws visitors from the entire region and we hope to add more events like that in every part of the county."

Because the CVB is funded by the local hotel tax, Lambert said it is a goal to make sure more people are frequenting Highland County hotels. 

"Future plans may include 'mini convention centers' around the county to allow small groups to hold meetings or workshops, more hotel capacity to accommodate increased tourism, development of heritage tours of historic sights and buildings, a visitors center and museum of Highland County and new entertainment venues for music and theater," Lambert said. "The growth of Highland County as a visitor destination will improve the local economy and stimulate new businesses and services that benefit everyone."