Search for Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau boss narrowed to four finalists

The search for a new director of the Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is moving forward. Eight people applied for the CVB executive director position, a job left vacant when Tim Jacobsen resigned March 20.

Jacobsen was hired in November 2020 with an initial salary of $115,000. Longtime journalist and community promoter Lynn Wasson was named interim executive director March 24.

Josh Buchfink, public relations manager for the city, said Wednesday (July 26) the applicant pool was narrowed to four July 7, following zoom interviews. The four finalists are Ashleigh Bachert of Tulsa, Alfred Snow of Lakeland, Fla., Cody Waits of Maumelle, and Donnie Crain of Morrilton, said Eric Garvin, deputy director of human resources for the city.

Though Wasson did apply for the position, she was not listed in the group of finalists.

Bachert’s LinkedIn Profile lists her as a tourism professional with Tulsa Regional Tourism, where she served as the interim senior vice president of regional tourism from February to August 2022. Snow’s profile lists him as the senior tourism and events supervisor with Visit Central Florida from March 2012 to September 2022. Waits is the director of office skills development for the Arkansas Department of Commerce, according to his LinkedIn profile, and Crain has been the president and CEO of the Morrilton Area Chamber of Commerce and Conway County Economic Development Corp. He is also owner of Hollis Country store, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Storm Nolan, the head of the Fort Smith A&P commission, said the commission will meet Tuesday (Aug. 1) to line up the final steps for search for a new executive director and schedule the finalist interviews. He said he believes the commission can reach a final decision by the end of August and hopes the new director will begin within a month or two after that.

“We want to build on the success of the U.S. Marshals Museum and positively promote our city,” Nolan said.

There is not a salary range for the executive director position. The salary is determined by the A&P Commission, Garvin said.

Hospitality tax revenue in Fort Smith, generated from a lodging tax only, was $1.13 million in 2022, up 18% compared with 2021. The revenue funds CVB operations and marketing efforts.