Cape welcomes Newbern as new CVB director

"All of my experiences have brought me to this exciting day. I am certainly prepared to join together with other community leaders and move my city to the next level." Brenda Newbern's enthusiasm makes us pleased to welcome her as the new executive director for the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau. She will be responsible for economic growth through tourism.

On Jan. 18, Newbern will take over for Chuck Martin, who is retiring after 13 years as CVB director. We look forward to her drawing on her experience in the industry to highlight our community and the many places tourists will visit and enjoy as much as we do. Certainly no neophyte in working with the public, Newbern has spent years in sales and customer service. This will not be her first stint with CVB, either; she was a group-tour manager in the 1990s and 2000s, as the Southeast Missourian reported. Her volunteer work as a chamber ambassador and board membership on the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, among other community service involvement, sound like ingredients for success.

Chamber president and CEO John Mehner is confident that Newbern, chosen from a field of more than 30 applicants, adds to the recipe for progress. "With all of the new things we have coming on and the current things that we continue to market and sell, she's got a great knowledge base of the industry and a tremendous working relationship with local partners," he stated.

We hope and anticipate that Newbern will be an asset to our area as she advances city tourism.