In this issue...

• Features
  • Dayton Welcomes New National Park Superintendent
  • WGI World Championships Bring 40,000 people and $15million to Greater Dayton
  • Dayton Hamvention Attracts Amateur Radio Operators From Around the World
  • April Showers Bring May Soccer Players?!
  • US Air Force Hosts Freedom's Call Military Tattoo Friday June 26th
• President’s Corner
• Fast Facts
• Help Us Welcome These Groups
• On The Road

Carol Maas

Features

Dayton Welcomes New National Park Superintendent

Dean K. Alexander, former Superintendent at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park (NHP) in Chillicothe, Ohio, has been named by the National Park Service (NPS) as Superintendent for Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park in Dayton, Ohio. Alexander assumed his new post March 5, succeeding Lawrence "Larry" A. Blake, who retired from the National Park Service in December 2008.

"Dean's experience both in managing multi-site parks and in building successful park partnerships with diverse public and private entities will be invaluable at Dayton Aviation Heritage." said Ernest Quintana, Regional Director of the NPS Midwest Region. "I have every confidence that Dean will nurture the numerous positive partnerships in place at the park, and develop strong new partnerships as opportunities arise."

A 22-year NPS veteran, Alexander served nearly 2 years as an Outdoor Recreation Planner in the Service's Northeast Regional Office in Philadelphia, Pa., before accepting a transfer to the Midwest Regional Office in Omaha in 1988 to lead the Rivers and Trails Conservation Assistance Program. He was subsequently promoted to Chief of the Planning Branch, then Chief of the Division of Planning and Environmental Quality for the Midwest Region. In 1995, Alexander became the Superintendent at Kalaupapa NHP, Kalaupapa, Hawaii, managing a variety of sensitive cultural and natural resource issues. Kalaupapa NHP is a very isolated location that can only be accessed by airplane or hiking down a 1,500-foot cliff; and is primarily known as the historic isolation settlement for Hawaii's victims of Hansen's disease, or leprosy. Alexander returned to the Midwest Region in 2001 as Superintendent at Hopewell Culture NHP, a park of over 1,200 acres.

The Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau welcomes Alexander to the "Birthplace of Aviation" and looks forward to working together to promote our significant and wonderful sites and to share our rich aviation and literary heritage with our community and visitors alike.

WGI World Championships Bring 40,000 people and $15million to Greater Dayton

Spring is here and it is time to welcome the Winter Guard International (WGI) Sport of the Arts World Championships back to our community! The WGI Color Guard World Championships will take place April 2-4, 2009 and the Percussion World Championships will occur April 16-18, 2009. The Championships collectively, over the two weekends, are anticipated to bring in approximately 40,000 spectators and performers (approximately 25,000 for Color Guard and approximately 15,000 for Percussion). Competitors come from across the nation and as far away as Japan and the Netherlands filling area hotels, motels and restaurants, generating approximately $15 million in estimated economic impact for the area. Host venues include U.D. Arena, the Nutter Center and the James Trent Arena. World Finals will take place at U.D. Arena Saturday, April 4th for Color Guard and Saturday April 18th for Percussion.

WGI Sport of the Arts, a not-for-profit youth organization, leads winter guard and indoor percussion activities. It is called the Sport of the Arts because it brings music to life through performance in a competitive format. The mission of WGI Sport of the Arts is to foster positive experiences for all who participate, by promoting education, creativity and freedom of expression through the unification of pageantry and the performing arts.

WGI Sport of the Arts, has announced a partnership with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure(R) and has declared Friday, April 3, "WGI Spins For A Cure Day." WGI is will donate a portion of all ticket proceeds to all World Championship events on Friday, April 3. The traditional 50/50 raffle proceeds collected that day will also be donated. "This grew out of a desire to expand our reach outside the normal activities of our largest event this year," said Executive Director Ron Nankervis. "It is my hope that everyone will join WGI and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure(R) in raising awareness as well as necessary dollars. We must end a disease that will affect a significant number of our performers in the future unless a cure is found." Acclaimed Choreographer Mia Michaels (from So You Think You Can Dance!) www.miamichaels.com will host a special choreography class on Sunday, April 5th at U.D. Arena. Mia has also agreed to host a special t-shirt signing event with proceeds donated to breast cancer awareness.

The Dayton/Montgomery County CVB and the Greater Dayton community are pleased that WGI has committed to keeping their world headquarters and World Color Guard and World Percussion Championship Competitions in the Greater Dayton area through 2014.

WGI is expecting sell-out crowds for the World Finals events in Dayton. To purchase tickets call the UD ticket office at 866-944-8273 or log onto www.wgi.org

Education Panel

Flight Simulator

Dayton Hamvention Attracts Amateur Radio Operators From Around the World

Amateur radio operators from around the world will convene at the Hara Complex May 15-17, 2009 for their 57th annual convention. According to 2009 Hamvention Chairman Carl Rose, "Hamvention, the world's largest amateur radio gathering, brings nearly 20,000 people, from all 50 states and from scores of foreign countries, to the greater Dayton area each year. The three-day May convention includes exhibits, a flea market, forums and education sessions. Hamvention event attendees utilize hotel rooms throughout Montgomery County as well as surrounding counties such as Miami, Greene and Warren."

"Hamvention is an exciting and important event for our area and has a significant economic impact on our local economy. We congratulate and applaud the Dayton Amateur Radio Association's volunteers who successfully host the annual Hamvention. And, we enthusiastically welcome the attendees back to our community" states Jacquelyn Y. Powell, President/CEO of the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau. "If you've never been out to Hamvention I encourage you to attend this year's event. There truly is something for everyone, from computer software and hardware, to cell phones, and all sorts of electronic gadgets. It is fun to be a part of something so big and to literally meet people from all over the world who love to make the annual trek to Dayton."

Created in 1952 by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association, Hamvention has become the largest amateur radio and electronics gathering of its type in the world. Park-n-Ride (park at the old Salem Mall on Shiloh Springs Road) passes are available for $3 enabling riders to avoid traffic and to be dropped off and picked up outside of Hara Arena's main entry. Hamvention admission tickets can be purchased on-line at www.hamvention.org or by calling the Hara Complex at 937-278-4776. PIC of Hamvention

April Showers Bring May Soccer Players?!

Mother Nature may be in charge of "April Showers that bring May Flowers" but in Dayton/Montgomery County we know that April Showers bring May soccer players---and lots of them! Thanks to the hard work of tournament co-directors Carol Maas and Jim Paxton and their team, our community will host the 23rd annual adidas Warrior Soccer Classic Memorial Day Soccer Tournament May 23-25, 2009. The Tournament is recognized as the third largest youth soccer competition in the nation. Over 400 teams representing more than 6,000 youth soccer players from across the Midwest will compete on fields at Tom Cloud Park, Englewood Soccer Complex, Ankeney Soccer Complex, and NCR/Old River Park. ,and for the first time at fields being developed for a new warrior soccer complex. According to Carol Maas, over 20,000 players, coaches and spectators attend the competition. The Tournament has gained outstanding recognition for its quality teams, referees, sites of play, and organization. Annually, the tournament generates $7.5 million in estimated economic impact on the area.

Not only does the adidas Warrior Soccer tournament have clout in the world of amateur soccer, tournament co-director Carol Maas was recently recognized by the US Youth Soccer Association as the Region II winner and then the National Winner (top from all 4 regions) of the US Youth Soccer Administrator of the Year. The Award honors the extraordinary accomplishments in soccer administration over a lifetime.

For more information on the tournament log onto www.warriorclassic.com

Dayton/Montgomery County Convention &Visitors Bureau and Montgomery County Youth & Amateur Sports Task Force Host Sports Event Planners at March Madness Educational/Networking Event

"Youth and amateur sports is the top producing market segment for the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau in terms of the number of individuals coming into our community and the positive economic impact on our local economy" states Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau President/CEO Jacquelyn Y. Powell. "As such the CVB is working in tandem with the Montgomery County Youth & Amateur Sports Task Force to maximize the youth and amateur sports events we currently host and to grow our potential of hosting additional events."

Tuesday, March 17, 2009, the Dayton/Montgomery County CVB (CVB) hosted approximately 100 sports event planners and their guests at a special educational and networking event. The evening included a reception and program at the Dayton Marriott that highlighted the numerous complimentary services the CVB offers sports event planners---from determining how and where Montgomery County can best accommodate their event, to bid proposal packets and site inspections, to services such as registration assistance, media assistance, welcome packets and visitor information stations that aide the planner in their actual event promotion and implementation.

Speakers at the event included Montgomery County Commissioner Dan Foley, adidas Warrior Soccer Tournament Co-Director Carol Maas, and Dayton Center Courts, United States Tennis Association Tournament Director Larry Jackson.

Following the educational/networking program and dinner reception, the group attended the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament Opening Round game at U.D. Arena.

According to Powell, "In a tough economy it is particularly important to focus on the youth and amateur sports market. The CVB wants to help our existing clients strengthen and grow their youth and amateur sports events. We want to ensure that all of our clients are fully aware of the complimentary services the CVB can provide to ensure the best planning, promotion and implementation of their events. Additionally we want to build the camaraderie among our area network of sports contacts in order to help generate new youth and amateur sports leads and events for our area."

2009 Community Ambassador Award Winners

Sections/Features

A Few Fun Dates-Fast Facts

Below are some fast facts and a sampling of activities you can enjoy in Dayton/Montgomery County in the coming weeks

• Attend Night at the Air Force Museum from 6-10 p.m. on Saturday, May 15 and you may be surprised who you'll meet in the galleries. Visitors can expect an exciting after-hours gathering at the museum, offering the unique opportunity to see aviation history come alive, look into aircraft cockpits, enjoy free IMAX films and Morphis MovieRides, and discover the source behind this evening of "life" at the museum. Visitors are welcome to arrive throughout the evening as activities are ongoing (with the exception of the IMAX films). Tickets are not required. Groups of 10 or more are encouraged to pre-register. The event coincides with the spring release of the Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian movie. For more information call (937) 255-3286.
• Don't miss the CityFolk Festival, a free event in downtown Dayton June xx-xx. Enjoy music, live entertainment and food www/
• Hotel Awards---Hampton North--Award for Problem Avoidance
• Pick up a Midwest Living Best of the MidWest magazine, sold in bookstores and newsstands throughout the US and look for our CVB ad and register to win a wonderful Dayton prize package
• You know spring has arrived when baseball season starts! The Dayton Dragons xxxxx
• They Killed Sister Dorothy
• Magazine Ranks Dayton #1--Dayton fared well in a private publication that evaluated states and metropolitan areas nationwide for new commercial developments and expansions. Site Selection Magazine on March 9, released it annual Governor's Cup awards for commercial development. The magazine rated Dayton at the top of the evaluation's tier two category, which examined metro areas with populations between 200,000 and 1 million.
• Mark your calendars now for the Vectren Dayton Air Show

CVB Staff

President/CEO:
Jacquelyn Y. Powell
Director of Marketing & Communications:
Beverly Rose
Director of Sales:
Anna Nash
Controller/Director of Human Resources
Bruce Stricker
Sales Managers:
Mary Bloyd, Ronald Eifert, Pierre Le, Ann Upthegrove-Vore
Sales & Tourism Coordinator:
Heather Ivers
Convention Services Manager:
Donna Michael
Convention Services Coordinator:
Annie Solomon
Executive Assistant:
Lynn Gathagan
Administrative Assistant:
Dawn Mader
Visitor Information Specialist:
Anita White
Visitor Information:
Foster “Bud” Brown, W.T. Brown, William Dix, Cecil Jones, Mikell “Mike” Kloeters, Gwen Lee, Bertha Olgetree, Sarah Seagraves, Martha Tollefson
Dayton Ambassadors:
Birdie Bruce, Betty Clark, Tim Connair, Delmar Dunning, Donna Edly, Harriet Fitzsimmons, Ina Green, Raymond Green, Bernadine Gregory, Christina Miller, Amy Moore, Jane Moore, Carol O’Connell, Cecil Jones, Geri Primm, Inge Rhinehelder, John Rhinehelder, Mary Lou Ruef, Bonnie Salyer, Lorna Schoenberger, Denise Shannon, Linda Shaw, Bonnie Steele, Jean Steele, Alan Twehues, Suzanne Twehues

Help Us Welcome These Groups

Contact the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau today to learn how the CVB can save you time and money by providing complimentary assistance to bring your next social or business group’s event to Dayton, The Birthplace of Aviation!

On The Road

Here’s a sampling of where Bureau staff is headed in our ongoing effort to bring business to Dayton/Montgomery County.

Jacquelyn Y. Powell
President/CEO
Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau

Winner Judith Fleming accepts keys to her vehicle from CVB President Jacquelyn Powell

Board of Trustees

Chairman
Ray Keyton, President, AAA Miami Valley
Vice Chairman
Vail Miller Jr., CEO, Heidelberg Distributing Company
Treasurer
Larry Wheeler, General Manager, Dayton Airport Hotel
Secretary
Brady Kress, President & CEO Dayton History
At Large
Brian Sharp, General Manager, Macy's Anderson Towne Center
Ex-Officio
Carol Cleavenger, Montgomery County
General Counsel Ex-Officio
Alan Schaeffer, Pickrel, Schaeffer & Ebeling
President/CEO & Ex-Officio
Jacquelyn Y. Powell

Bill Castro, Owner, El Meson Restaurant
Janice Driesbach, Director & CEO, Dayton Art Institute
Don Griffin
Sandy Gudorf, President, Downtown Dayton Partnership
Toni Kennedy, General Manager Dayton Marriott Hotel
Joe A. Lambright
Brian McKenzie, General Manager, Holiday Inn Express Huber Heights
Mark Meister, President & CEO Dayton Society of Natural History
Ron Monte, General Manager, Holiday Inn Dayton Mall
Idotha Bootsie Neal, President, Wright Dunbar, Inc.
Maureen Patterson, VP, Stakeholder Relations, Dayton Development Coalition
Jenell Ross, Dealer Operator/VP, Bob Ross Dealerships
Barbara Stonerock, Director of Community Relations, The Dayton Foundation
Dr. Peter Titlebaum, Assoc. Professor Department of Health & Sport Science,
University of Dayton
Debbie Watts Robinson, Legal Development Officer, Dayton Foundation

President’s Corner

Throughout the year, the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau recognizes the importance of travel, conventions and tourism as an economic catalyst for our community. Our staff aggressively pursues and diligently works to bring outside people and dollars into our community; thereby improving the local economy and our quality of life in Dayton/Montgomery County. National Tourism Week, sponsored by the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) and observed this year May 9-16, 2009, gives us the opportunity to stop, reflect, and to celebrate the many benefits of travel and tourism. It also provides us with an occasion to thank our visitors for their patronage, honor the employees who serve them and to show our pride for our destination and our industry

A Few Interesting Statistics. . .

• 1 in 8 jobs in the U.S. is in the hospitality sector
• According to an Ohio Department of Development/Ohio Division of Travel & Tourism study conducted by Tourism Economics and Longwoods International, the economic impact of travel and tourism on Montgomery County is xxxx
• Blah
• Blah

National Tourism Week Activities. . . .

To commemorate National Tourism Week the CVB has coordinated a variety of activities

• Listen and Win!
  Monday May 11th--Friday May 15th, you'll want to tune in and listen to any of the eight area Clear Channel radio stations (WONE/WIZE AM 1340, Mix FM 107.7, WTUE FM 104.7, Lite 99.9 FM, The X 103.9 FM, WDSJ 106.5 FM, WDKF 94.5 FM). DJs will be asking listeners Dayton trivia questions. Callers with the correct answers will win prizes to area hospitality venues ranging from complimentary hotel stays to free attraction admission tickets and restaurant dining coupons.
• Thursday, May 14th, the CVB will co-sponsor with the Ohio Department of Travel & Tourism a free www.discoverohio.com training session at Sinclair Center. Hospitality partners will learn how to place information and special promotional packages relating to their business on the state of Ohio's website which receives over 150,000 unique visitors each month.
• The CVB will deliver two CVB created front desk resource books – "Ask Me About Dayton" a concierge guide and "Know Your CVB" a book outlining how to partner with the CVB to promote our destination and their business – to nearly 100 Dayton/Montgomery County hotels/motels, attractions and meeting venues

Be A Tourist In Your Own Backyard. . .

• The Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau encourages you to Be A Tourist In Your Own Backyard. Get out, explore and discover the many world-class attractions, arts and cultural organizations, parks and recreation, shopping and dining experiences our community has to offer. For ideas or information, log onto www.daytoncvb.com or call us for free collateral and information at 800-221-8235.
• During National Tourism Week the CVB in conjunction with area hospitality partners will announce a special "Staycation/Daycation" hotel/attraction/amenities package offer that will be available to area residents during a specified time this summer. Stay tuned for deals too good to miss!

New Visitor Information Kiosks Provide User-Friendly Information. . .

• The CVB is pleased to announce that we have installed three updated, web-based Visitor Information Kiosks throughout the community to assist residents and visitors in discovering all our area has to offer. The kiosks are currently located in the lobby of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, the lobby of the Dayton Convention Center and the lobby of the Dayton Art Institute. Users can access information on accommodations, attractions, restaurants, history, events and more in Montgomery, Greene and Miami Counties. Check them out!

Travel and tourism is big business for Dayton/Montgomery County! Wishing you a happy National Tourism Week!

Jacquie Powell

Contact the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau today for your free Destination Dayton Visitors Guide. 937-226-8211 or 800-221-8235 or www.daytoncvb.com

Copyright © 2009 Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau. All rights reserved.
You’ve received this message as a contact of the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
We are located at 1 Chamber Plaza, Suite A, Dayton, OH, 45402. Our phone number is 1-800-221-8235