I feel a lot of pressure writing this article. So much so that I suffered from extreme writer’s block. Imitation is a great creative cure though. A few weeks ago, Ashley used our column to focus on the importance of change and how it is imperative to fine tune your approaches to success. Then last week was Lesley’s farewell address where she discussed her tenure’s theme of collaboration and audacious ideas. Feeding off those vibes, my theme is a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote “a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.”
It is my favorite quote because it is a great reminder to constantly fine tune your strategies to decision making. I conjure up this quote when making work decisions; even if in my personal life, I am probably way too rigid.
With Lesley leaving, it has allowed me to reflect on my eleven years with tourism and how much the tourism division has evolved. When I came to town, Chamber President Nathan Sondgeroth invited me to a tourism meeting at a local hotel. It was a contentious meeting, but for all the right reasons. What was the role of tourism in Chamber functions and economic development? A question we answered with Grow Clinton, but also three directors fighting to tell that story.
Shortly after the hotel meeting, the Chamber hired Carrie Donaire to be the tourism director. Under Carrie’s leadership, the CVB rebranded to Visit Clinton. We brought in the American Queen riverboats. We invited Des Moines numerous times to remind them of all the great things happening on the East Coast. We built a weigh station and bathrooms for the 25th Avenue Boat dock. A favorite memory during this time was the big debate over the brand and the logo colors. Carrie had charged me as President ot get to yes (a big mantra back in the day). She had to be absent, and well I was losing control of the group. We were getting bogged down in opinions. Ari Lewerenz whipped out her laptop, brought us all around her laptop, and made us choose right then and there. I like the memory as my butt was saved, but also, it just showed the passion that the tourism volunteers have always had for the mission.
Then came Mary Seely. She brought amazing passion and energy to the job, created detailed marketing plans, and many new programs. She installed the rental bike system and managed it daily. And she got us through 2020. She spent so much energy preparing for RAGBRAI. All to see it canceled that year.
Then we have Lesley, who came in and was immediately tasked with planning for a 20,000-person event. We made a silly hype video for RAGBRAI, and well read her article to see everything else. As part of Grow Clinton, we represent Clinton, Camanche, and Fulton, and her article highlights the successes of this bi-state approach to tourism.
A great example of flexibility is the wayfinding program. This was my first committee. Julie Allesee, and a team, installed the original wayfinding system, and well created the CVB as well. Julie basically always said the Emerson quote in a different way, I started it, you finish it. So, Matt Brooke recreated the wayfinding task force after COVID, and realizing it was way too difficult to resolve ourselves, Grow Clinton paid for the wayfinding consultant, and the city has the signs in their budget.
The main lesson in this narrative is that each person brought their own spin to the job and to the community. And leadership never forced them to adhere to one style or one approach. The tourism directors got to push the buttons that made sense to them, and ultimately, let go of past decisions that weighed them down. I never heard a dictate of “well so-and-so did this” so why aren’t you.
It’s what I look forward to the most when a new hire comes on. To see them take what their predecessors did but then add their own twist and then add their own ideas. Then they grow into their own voice, and it creates a unique voice for the town that becomes part of the main brand.
Do you know what our main brand is? The River! But also, way too many awesome things to ever get in one simple advertising campaign.
To conclude, a fun story, or confession time.
I used to be the biggest proponent of an independent CVB. I could get carried away in my zealousness. Simply get a few of us in a room and ask us to dream of a visitor's center and away we went. At the crux was a commitment to amplifying tourism. And probably our egos as well. Now I’m the biggest proponent of tourism being part of the Grow Clinton brand. It’s that Emreson quote in a nutshell. Especially if you are putting your ego to rest and asking the right questions.
With the merger, tourism has never been in a stronger place of execution. To circle back 11 years, the answer has always been the same, tourism is an integral part of economic development. So, this is a giant plea to apply for this amazing job and follow in the footsteps of crafting the River Cities for outsiders.
