Pennington now KTIA Secretary

Published 8:45 am Tuesday, December 28, 2021

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The Kentucky Travel Industry Association (KTIA) has elected the organization’s 2021-2021 officers and board of directors, with Harlan’s Brandon Pennington taking the office of KTIA Secretary.

“I’m very excited to join the executive committee at the Kentucky Travel Industry Association,” Pennington said. “It’s an honor to serve this industry that brings such an extraordinary economic impact to our great commonwealth.”

According to a press release, the elections took place on Friday, Nov. 12 in Louisville at the Kentucky Travel Industry’s annual conference.

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“The Kentucky travel industry is one of Kentucky’s premier economic engines and that engine is being rebuilt from the pandemic’s disastrous impact,” KTIA President and CEO Hank Phillips said of the organizations leaders. “These newly elected leaders along with their colleagues who are already serving on the board of directors are precisely the right people at the right time to lead the Kentucky travel industry in that effort.”

Pennington, who has been serving as Tourism Director in Harlan for several years, expressed his thoughts on working with Phillips and other KTIA officials.

“Hank Phillips has done a phenomenal job leading KTIA as president and it is an exciting opportunity to serve alongside such influence leaders in the Kentucky tourism industry,” Pennington said.

According to the release, the Kentucky Travel Industry Association serves and represents Kentucky’s tourism industry, which despite the pandemic’s severe impact, contributed $8.9 billion to Kentucky’s economy in 2020 despite the impact of the pandemic.

“The 900-member association engages in advocacy and provides its members with education, information and business development opportunities,” states the release. “The association also works to inform the public of the enormous economic, employment and tax revenue contributions tourism makes to the people of Kentucky.”

The list of KTIA’s officers includes: Board Chairman – Katie Fussenegger, Kentucky Derby Museum, Louisville; Chairman-elect – Jeff Crowe, Heaven Hill Distillery, Louisville; Treasurer – Tricia Noel, Hopkins County Tourist & Convention Commission, Madisonville; Secretary – Brandon Pennington, Harlan Tourist and Convention Commission, Harlan; Immediate Past-chairman – Don Howard, H&W Management, Lexington.