Branson/Tri-Lakes News: Branson Newsmakers

Branson Bank President Bill W. Jones was appointed to the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors for his first term to run through September 2009. Jones serves in the general business category.

Tourism

Doug Knopp rejoined Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa and Convention Center as executive chef. Knopp has more than 20 years of culinary experience, including 11 years at the Four Seasons hotels in Toronto, Houston, Vancouver and on Nevis Island in the Caribbean. He also spent four years as executive chef of the Westin St. Louis.

Eugene “Gene” Blair Conrad III was named deputy airport director for Branson Airport LLC, where he’s responsible for marketing and air service development. Conrad most recently served as air service coordinator and public relations/ marketing manager for the Dayton International Airport in Ohio. There he helped secure nonstop flights to Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, Boston and Tampa.

In Midwest Living’s April issue, Branson was named Top Pick for Lakeside Spots in an article titled “24 Best Family Reunion Spots.” The article cited Branson’s lodging, music shows, lake activities, golf, central location and availability of family reunion planners at the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Rural Missouri named College of the Ozarks’ Ralph Foster Museum at Point Lookout the Best Museum in the southwest region for 2008. Readers of the periodical, published monthly by the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, voted on a variety of categories.

Community

Dawn Erickson was hired as executive director of the Downtown Branson Main Street Association. She was most recently the interim director of economic development for Taney County, and has worked as a freelance writer and helped to produce comprehensive plans and various marketing studies for southwest Missouri government and educational entities. Erickson was the first director of communications at the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce in the 1990s.

K-Life Taney County received $12,500 in Youth Opportunities Program tax

credits.

The credits will fund two youth clubs for disadvantaged young people, teaching life skills such as teamwork, conflict resolution and communication skills.