Travel Pendleton may soon have a director

By on Thursday, June 1st, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON โ€“ The Pendleton Chamber of Commerce had no luck in the first round of trying to find a director for Travel Pendleton. Chamber Chief Executive Officer Cheri Rosenberg-LaBoy said the initial applicants were all from out of town and did not have the degree of passion the chamber feels the position requires.

โ€œWe did our interviews and whatever that thing that each of us were looking for was just not there,โ€ she said.

The call for applications was issued a second time, and Rosenberg-LaBoy said there were local residents in that batch. She stressed the importance of someone being familiar with and committed to Pendleton.

โ€œYou donโ€™t have to be the tourism guru of all things,โ€ she said. โ€œIโ€™m looking for that energy, that willingness to learn and that passion and love for Pendleton. You know, you can teach a monkey brain surgery if you do it long enough. I would rather train the right person and personality than get the person that has the bells and whistles but doesnโ€™t have that passion and love.โ€

As things stand now, Rosenberg-LaBoy said it looks like the new Travel Pendleton director will be one of the applicants in the second round.