CVB Travel: CVB Salute honors notable travel, tourism partners

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Susan Wade is the public relations manager with the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau.|ret||ret||tab|

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Nearly 400 people attended the Convention and Visitors Bureau's Third Annual Salute to Travel and Tourism Banquet and Benefit Feb. 27 at University Plaza Hotel.|ret||ret||tab|

The event was in conjunction with the Springfield Regional Arts Council Ozzie Awards. Proceeds from the banquet went to the arts council. |ret||ret||tab|

Travel and tourism awards were handed out in five categories. |ret||ret||tab|

Springfield City Manager Tom Finnie received the bureau's Pinnacle Award, which recognizes individuals who have been active in the travel industry for many years and have made substantial contributions to the betterment of the Springfield area travel industry.|ret||ret||tab|

Perhaps most notable, Finnie's leadership helped bring about development of Jordan Valley Park, where the ice arena provides recreation, the park itself provides beautiful greenspace and the Creamery Arts Center is becoming a cultural hub for the city.|ret||ret||tab|

The expo center and parking garage under construction at Jordan Valley Park will be instrumental in bringing new convention business to Springfield, and Hammons Field a John Q. Hammons project adjacent to Jordan Valley Park will add minor league baseball to the city's entertainment mix.|ret||ret||tab|

The Hospitality Award went to Wonders of Wildlife, The American National Fish And Wildlife Museum. |ret||ret||tab|

The award is for an attraction, lodging facility or restaurant that demonstrates outstanding hospitality to the traveling public and exhibits a team spirit in promoting the growth of Springfield area travel and tourism.|ret||ret||tab|

In its first year of operation, more than 472,000 people from every state and many nations toured Wonders of Wildlife.|ret||ret||tab|

The Diplomat Award, for a government official, organization or employee who has provided significant support to the Springfield area travel industry, was awarded to Mayor Pro Tem Gary Gibson, who died in October after a long battle with cancer.|ret||ret||tab|

Gibson was a longtime, tireless supporter of tourism and a strong advocate for the hotel-motel tax that passed in 1998. The tax provides funding for Jordan Valley Park and the ice arena, the Gillioz and Landers theaters, and the Discovery Center. |ret||ret||tab|

It also made possible the public-private partnership between the city of Springfield and John Q. Hammons, resulting in construction of the Springfield Exposition Center, the car park, a minor league baseball stadium and a new arena.|ret||ret||tab|

The Spotlight Award for an individual, business or organization not usually considered part of the travel and tourism industry for noteworthy contributions in advancing travel and tourism in the Springfield area went to Aaron Buerge.|ret||ret||tab|

When Buerge was the 2002 season star on ABC's "The Bachelor," he spoke highly of Springfield in front of millions of viewers who watched the show.|ret||ret||tab|

Because of his positive portrayal of Springfield, the CVB has received numerous calls from people interested in learning more about the city and Buerge's new restaurant.|ret||ret||tab|

The Ambassador Award is for individuals or organizations that generated significant economic impact for the area by working to encourage tourism or secure a major convention or event in Springfield. Ambassador Award winners were Annie Busch, Gary Ellison, Tre and Ann Neu, and Jim Young.|ret||ret||tab|

In addition to her duties as executive director of the Springfield-Greene County Library District, Busch helped the bureau bring the Missouri Public Library Directors and the Missouri Library Association conventions to Springfield.|ret||ret||tab|

Besides operating his marketing business, Ellison is the "Official Ragtime Piano Player" for the state of Missouri. He is a longtime supporter of travel and tourism who served on the CVB board of directors for six years, two of those years as president. Ellison was instrumental in getting the hotel-motel tax passed in 1998.|ret||ret||tab|

The Neus are long-time supporters of the Discovery Center and were instrumental in bringing to Springfield the American Museum of Natural History's exhibit featuring the Antarctic mishaps of explorer Ernest Shackleton and his team.|ret||ret||tab|

Young, chapter commander for the local Military Order of the Purple Heart, played an instrumental role in helping the city secure the National Military Order of the Purple Heart Convention that will be in Springfield in 2005. |ret||ret||tab|

About 700 of the nation's war heroes will attend this event.|ret||ret||tab|

The bureau also honored 14 volunteers who have provided 10 years of service to the CVB. |ret||ret||tab|

The Decade of Service Award went to Flora Clark, Barbara Haun, Loraine Heidorn, Marie Imrie, Richard Langston, Bonnie Noland, Peggy O'Bryant, Russell Sanders, Sue Shiflet, JoAnn Healey, Bill Beckley, Dee Beckley, Ruby Tucker and Robert Allen.|ret||ret||tab|

The arts council's Ozzie Awards went to Sally Baird and Partners in Performance. |ret||ret||tab|

The Ozzie is presented to people or groups who promote, personify, and/or support artistic achievement in the Springfield area. |ret||ret||tab|

Baird has served numerous arts organizations as a volunteer, including Springfield Little Theatre, Springfield Symphony, Springfield Ballet, Springfield Regional Opera, Springfield Sister Cities Association, Mid-America Singers and Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts. |ret||ret||tab|

Partners in Performance received its Ozzie for 10 years of service for the arts. The group began in 1992 by giving tours of the new Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts and then moved to serving as ushers, greeters and concessionaires. In 10 seasons, the group has generated concession sales of more than $100,000 and collectively contributed more than 108,000 hours of volunteer time.|ret||ret||tab|

The Convention and Visitors Bureau extends its gratitude to the businesses and individuals who helped sponsor the banquet: Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau, Butler, Rosenbury & Partners, Carol Jones Realtors, The City of Springfield, ColorGraphic Printing, Elliott Lodging, KSPR 33, Mediacom, Silver Dollar City, Southwest Audio-Visual and University Plaza Hotel.|ret||ret||tab|

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