The Greenwood Convention and Visitors Bureau will have a new executive director Aug. 1.
Shelley Thomas, manufacturing operations manager at Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp., said this morning that she’s ready for the challenge.
Thomas, 37, will oversee all of Greenwood’s tourism programs, which include sales, marketing, public relations and visitor services. She will also implement programs designed to attract tourists, visitors, groups, conventions and related activities to Greenwood.
In her current position, Thomas manages more than 100 employees at Milwaukee Tool.
“My background is really diverse. I’ve done training, development, marketing and sales,” she said.
She has a 10-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn, and a 6-year-old son, Fin.
“We are so excited about the future of the Greenwood CVB under the direction of Shelley,” said Andrew McQueen, chairman of the Greenwood Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors, in a statement.
“She has proven herself in the business world, and we are thrilled that she has accepted our offer. Shelley is a seasoned professional with outstanding leadership skills,” McQueen said.
Tonja Ray-Smith left the CVB position on April 12, after less than a year on the job, to become director of the Grenada Area Chamber of Commerce.
Thomas is a native of Yazoo City. Before coming to Milwaukee Tool, she ran her own business, Thomas Leadership Consultants. She also worked as an operations manager at Georgia-Pacific in Louisville.
It was after contacting Greenwood Mayor Carolyn McAdams regarding the positive developments in the city that Thomas’ company was awarded a contract to conduct leadership training with the city police and fire departments.
Thomas has a master’s degree in counselor education and a bachelor’s degree in educational psychology, both from Mississippi State University.
She was named one of the Top 30 Under 40 by the Commonwealth earlier this year.
Thomas said she feels tourism is “more than just keeping your restaurants and hotels full and occupied.
“It is equally important to get people to come here over and over again and want to make the long- term commitment to investing their lives, careers and raising their families in the Mississippi Delta,” she said. “I know that is possible because my attraction to the area began with tourism and now my family and I have made that long-term commitment.”
Travel and tourism are big business in Greenwood and Leflore County. In 2013, visitors spent $52.6 million, which led to an estimated 750 jobs.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
