Warren County Honors Five Hospitality Leaders
WARREN COUNTY, NY -- Five leaders of the Warren County/Lake George region’s hospitality community were honored Friday by the Warren County Board of Supervisors and the local business community for distinguished professional contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a first-of-its-kind honor, presented at the Board of Supervisors regular March meeting on the day the Board of Supervisors commemorated Women’s History Month, the supervisors and business leaders recognized:
• Joanne Conley, Warren County Director of Tourism who is retiring in May after 41 years of service to the county.
• Gina Mintzer, Executive Director, Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau;
• Kathy Muncil, Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Fort William Henry Corp.;
• Amy Collins, Director of Tourism and Business Development for the City of Glens Falls, and
• Sara Mannix, founder, president, and chief executive officer of Mannix Marketing, Glens Falls.
“Each of the women we honor today helped our Warren County tourism and hospitality businesses survive the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Kevin Geraghty, supervisor of Warrensburg. “They helped our businesses understand and comply with federal and state mandates; to develop health protocols to protect our guests and our employees; to recruit employees to serve our guests, and to communicate information accurately to our visitors and prospective visitors.”
Lake Luzerne Town Supervisor Gene Merlino, chair of the Board of Supervisors Tourism Committee, noted that, even in the midst of the pandemic, the honorees found ways to help local hospitality businesses thrive and grow. “They were instrumental in bringing Ice Castles to Warren County and making it a resounding success, with more than 80,000 visitors. They contributed to our successful effort to introduce the Warren County/Lake George region to new summer guests. Indeed, through their efforts, Warren County turned what could have been an economic disaster into a remarkable success for the benefit of the thousands of local individuals and families who rely on our visitors for their livelihoods.”
Chair Geraghty noted that the long-term success of Warren County is built on the strength and sustainable contributions of local community leaders. “We hope their example will set the tone for future leaders and for young people considering a career in hospitality or in any other field in Warren County. This is a place where your ideas and contributions are welcomed and hard work and innovation are rewarded. This is a place where you can truly make a difference.”
The five leaders will also be honored at a community-wide banquet at the Fort William Henry on Friday, May 6. For more information on this event, please contact the Fort William Henry at (518) 964-6628.
(Photo attached of, from left, Joanne Conley, Gina Mintzer, Kathy Muncil and Sara Mannix with their awards at Friday’s meeting. Ms. Collins was not able to attend Friday’s meeting)