Oak Park, IL: Today Visit Oak Park announces the appointment of a new Board of Directors and Executive Committee as well as 2014 tourism economic impact figures.
The new slate of officers for the Visit Oak Park Executive Committee are: Chairman Brad Bartels, Byline Investment Services and Oak Park Festival Theater; Vice Chair Amy Crowther, Berwyn Development Corporation; Secretary Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga, Village of Riverside Preservation Commission; and Treasurer Cliff Osborn, Gloor Realty Company.
The new members of the Oak Park Board of Directors are: Jeanne Schultz Angel, Executive Director, Nineteenth Century Club & Charitable Organization; Laura Dodd, Director of Frank Lloyd Wright Trust; and Nick Sinadinos, Nicholas Associates Design Consultants.
The continuing board members are: Mary Bodlak, St. Vincent Ferrer Church; Julie Carpenter, Oak Park Art League; John Fey, Rt. 66 Museum Berwyn; Tammie Grossman, Village of Oak Park; Kimberley Humphrey, Bead in Hand; Bill Kroeplin, Forest Park National Bank & Trust; Michela Lichvanova, Dominican University Performing Arts Center; Lori McCarthy, Then Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park; and Laura Thompson, past Chair, Visit Oak Park.
On January 28, 2016, Visit Oak Park held its Annual Meeting of Membership. Special Guest Cory Jobe, Director, Illinois Office of Tourism, joined Visit Oak Park President and CEO Sara Barnett in highlighting the economic impact of tourism in Oak Park and Western Cook County.
In 2014 tourism Domestic travelers spent $563 million in the Oak Park/Western Cook Area, a 5.8 percent increase over 2013. Within Oak Park, traveler spending totaled $211 million, up from $201 million in 2013. Spending in the Foodservice Sector was $237.1 million, up 6.7 percent (source: US Travel Association).
In the Oak Park Area, tourist expenditures supported over 5,000 jobs, up 3.2 percent over 2013. Travel spending generated $61.6 million in taxes for the Oak Park Area; Oak Park travel spending generated $21.7 million in state and local taxes. Total taxes grew 5.5 percent in Oak Park and 6.5 percent for the region (source: US Travel Association).
Sara Barnett
Visit Oak Park
773-610-4579
Sara@Visitoakpark.com
