First Friday: Your Small Business Resource
Presented by
Topic: How Tourism Impacts Williamson County
Have you ever wondered how the hashtag #FranklinTN became so popular? Or how Visit Franklin has a growing audience of more than 107,000 'Likes' on Facebook? There's a reason for this and Ellie Westman Chin, CEO of Visit Franklin, has the secrets to share with you at First Friday.
Tasked with bringing tourists and attractions to Williamson County, Chin and her team have meticulously built a brand that attracts newcomers, retirees, and tourists near and far to the fastest-growing county in the state. Hear Ellie's thoughts on how boosting your social media posts can be the key to boosting tourism and the economy.
Speaker:
Ellie Westman Chin
President & CEO,
Williamson County Convention and Visitors Bureau
www.visitfranklin.com
Ellie Westman Chin joined the Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau as President & CEO in July 2014. Responsibilities include growing the reputation of Williamson County as a world-class destination for visitors to experience; increasing the economic impact of visitor spending; and working with city leaders to continue to develop exceptional attractions.
Westman Chin and her husband Ken relocated to Williamson County from Denver, Colorado where Ellie served as Vice President, Philanthropy for The Women’s Foundation of Colorado. Prior to her time in Denver, she served as vice president, business development and corporate events for the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB).
At the ACVB, Westman Chin’s responsibilities included corporate development; overseeing the membership department consisting of 1,200 members; and supervising ACVB’s three visitor centers. In addition, she produced ACVB’s corporate events including the Annual Meeting and the Atlanta Hospitality Hall of Fame.
Westman Chin has enjoyed a 20-year career in marketing and event management. Prior to joining ACVB, she worked for Empire Force Events in New York City as an account director. In this role, she managed event programs and served as day-to-day contact for corporate clients including NYC2012, Johnson & Johnson, Sony Electronics and Volkswagen.
In 1993 Westman Chin moved to Nashville, Tennessee to assist in creating the Nashville Sports Council for the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB). As associate executive director of the Council she helped secure both the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans) and the NHL franchise Nashville Predators. Additionally, Westman Chin was director of operations for the 1997 U.S. Figure Skating Championships and produced the first annual Music City Bowl. She also served the NCVB as director of convention services.
Westman Chin is a member of Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) and earned her Certification as a Destination Marketing Executive (CDME) in 2013. She also serves on the boards of the Greater Nashville Hospitality Association and the Williamson County Chamber of Commerce as well as on the Nashville International Airport Air Service Coalition. In 2016 Westman Chin was recognized by the Nashville Business Journal as a Community Impact Award winner. In 2009 and 2011 she was named ACVB Leader of the Year and in 2012, Westman Chin was a Woman of the Year candidate for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
A native of Chicago, Westman Chin has a Bachelor of Arts in marketing from Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN. Ellie and her husband Ken reside in Williamson County.
Friday Jun 3, 2016
7:30 AM - 9:00 AM CDT
Friday, June 3
7:30 a.m. - 9 a.m.
E|SPACES
1550 W. McEwen Dr., Suite 300
Franklin, TN 37067
FREE for Chamber members and guests
Abby Bass
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