THIS ARTICLE APPEARS IN THE RED ROCK NEWS

July 7, 2023

 

The Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau’s volunteer Board of Directors is one of the Chamber’s greatest assets. Our board is comprised of a cross-section of business leaders from various industries in the community and brings experience in advocacy, entrepreneurship, business management, finance, hospitality, tourism, housing, health care and the arts.

At the beginning of each fiscal year, a new chairman is elected to the board. (Please Note that the Full Board is Not Pictured)

It is now time for our Board Chair, Jennifer W. Perry, to pass the gavel to her new successor.  We are grateful to Jennifer for the time she served as the FY23 Chairman of the Board, and we are pleased that she will continue to support the board as the immediate past chairman. Thank you, Jennifer, for your superb stewardship of the organization through this shifting year. 

 We welcome a new Board Chair, Michael Wise, who is an active realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Home Service for both residential and commercial properties in Sedona and the Verde Valley and is co-owner of the Sycamore Group, a property management group. We are looking forward to Mike’s leadership and business acumen in the new year.

 We would also like to thank the following members who are stepping off the board: Wendy Lippman, with Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village who served as Vice Chair, Dr. Beth DuPree who is heading to the east coast to maintain her surgeon’s credentials while remaining a part-time resident of Sedona and John Davis, with Cheers who fulfilled a three-year term on the board. Al Comello, our Immediate Past Chair has been on the board for many years and states, “The last seven years have been an honor of my life.”

 We appreciate the service and dedication that our board members have contributed with the Chamber.

 Our Executive Committee provides oversight of the business and operations of the Chamber and sets the agenda for the full Board of Directors. We are excited to announce our Executive Committee for FY24.

• Mike Wise, Chairman of the Board.

• Vice Chair, Stan Kantowski is the managing director of Enchantment Resort/Mii amo Spa. He also serves on the Executive Board of the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association and on boards of national lodging industry groups.

• Secretary,  Cheryl Barron is the owner of the Whispering Creek B&B. A Sedona resident since 2015, she previously worked for the Marriott brand. Cheryl is also the new president of the Sedona Lodging Council.

• Treasurer, Clifford Loader is the Chief Financial Officer of Northern Arizona Healthcare, responsible for the financial health and sustainability of NAH. He has more than 24 years of experience in hospital financial operations.

• Ex-Officio – Immediate Past Chair, Jennifer W. Perry.

 In addition to those serving on the Executive Committee, we would also like to acknowledge the following additional board members who are also dedicating their time and expertise:

 • Jesse Alexander is an Arizona native with 30 years of hospitality management experience. He is the Chief Operating Officer for the Canyon Portal and Sinagua Plaza shopping centers in Uptown, as well as the Sedona Trolley, three Uptown restaurants and retail stores.

 • Shlomo Danieli has had a successful career in the floral industry, after completing graduate studies in plant genetics at Hebrew University. Upon retiring, Shlomo built a 100-acre floral farm in Beloit, WI. Today, he operates a business office in West Sedona.

 • Gary Glenn has lived in Sedona full-time for four years and has quickly become a recognizable contributor to the community. Gary is a professional photographer specializing in Event Photography and Personality Portrait Photography.

 • KC Kinsey is General Manager of the Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock, eForea Spa and the Sedona Athletic Club.

 • Lonnie Lillie is the General Manager of the Arroyo Pinion Sedona Hotel LLC and has been a Sedona resident since 1984. In 2015 Lonnie was recognized as Arizona Hotelier of the Year.  Lonnie will soon take the reigns as General Manager of the Aiden by Best Western Sedona.

• Leslie McLean is the Group Sales Manager at Pink Jeep Tours and a new board member.

• Julie Richard is the CEO of the Sedona Arts Center. She previously served as Executive Director of the Maine Arts Commission.

• Mackenzie Rodgers is the Northern Arizona Division Director of APS, overseeing all construction and maintenance in the Verde Valley, Flagstaff, Prescott, Wickenburg, Snowflake and Payson offices.

• Ed Rose is the Manager of the Sedona-Oak Creek Airport Authority and has been employed in the field of Airport Management for 39 years, working at airports in New York, Texas, California, North Carolina and now Arizona.

 • Danielle Sonn is the General Manager of Hampton Inn and has been a resident of the Sedona area for close to 32 years. Danielle is new to the board.

 • Mark Tufte is the Branch President with Pinnacle Bank and is new to the board.

One of the biggest strengths of the Chamber is the quality of the professionals that choose to volunteer their experience and leadership on our board each year. This slate of directors and officers is an indicator that this year is no exception. Their breadth of knowledge and viewpoints positions our organization extremely well for 2024 and beyond.

–Michelle Conway, President/CEO
Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau

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