Carter bids Holmes adieu to take tourism role in Medina

Friday, Aug. 4 marked an emotional day for Shannon Carter, tourism marketing manager with the Holmes County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau.

The day was mixed with emotions because Carter was celebrating an important new position in Medina County that would allow her to spread her wings, challenge her to use all of her creative energy and give her space to grow a program, but at the same time, it was a day celebrating her final days serving with the Chamber and Tourism Bureau, a place where she has built lasting friendships while helping the chamber develop a number of new tourism-related programs.

During a celebratory luncheon at the chamber office in Millersburg, Carter was joined by many well-wishers who helped her celebrate her new role as executive director of tourism for Medina County.

Carter stepped into her new role on Monday, Aug. 14, and before doing so, she was able to look back on many accomplishments during the celebration.

Carter said the decision was difficult because of her relationships here, but the opportunity to take Medina County’s tourism organization and make it her own was far too alluring to pass up.

“I’m excited for this next phase in my life. I’m excited for my friends here in Holmes County because they are going to continue to do amazing things too, but I’m also saddened because I’ve done so much here and built so many deep relationships with so many people, not just here in the office, but throughout Holmes County,” Carter said.

Carter was instrumental in building some new programs through the chamber and tourism industry in Holmes County, ideas she created and developed thanks to Executive Director Tiffany Gerber giving her plenty of leeway.

“I’m very proud of what we accomplished here during my four years,” Carter said. “We moved some wonderful programs forward and brought the digital world to Holmes County in exciting new ways, and I think I was part of connecting east to west in the county, and that’s something of which I’m very proud.”

Gerber said Carter took a lot of projects that the chamber had developed conceptually and helped them spring to life.

“I can’t say enough about how she took things from paper to reality,” Gerber said of Carter. “Oddly, we didn’t even hire her in that capacity. She assumed that role and never backed down from any of her responsibilities.”

Carter said her experience with the Holmes County Chamber helped her learn the ropes that enabled her to step into her new role. With Gerber taking the reins of the chamber and Carter handed the keys to the Holmes County tourism sector, she said together they figured out how to best promote Holmes County, in the process learning many things she will apply to her new role in Medina County.

“I saw how the big picture works, and now I’ve been given the chance to take my marketing skills I’ve developed and take all of the things I’ve done here to Medina,” Carter said. “They are looking to revamp and grow, and I’m excited to have that opportunity.”

The prior two people to fill the Medina tourism role Carter now owns were at a disadvantage because they didn’t have marketing backgrounds. Carter does, and she believes that will allow her to quickly grow and develop the tourism perspective in Medina County.

Carter came to Holmes County and worked in retail for Tis the Season, where she served as a step-on guide for tour buses. She then served as a substitute teacher before returning to her roots in tourism by joining the chamber staff.

Because her husband Tim works at Centor in Berlin as the operations manager, she said she will continue to be a part of Holmes County. In addition, she will have the satisfaction of continuing her working relationship with Gerber, albeit in a new role.

“Tiff is my mentor, and she already has me on the Ohio Association of Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, so we will still be working and going to events together,” Carter said. “I’m still going to lean on Tiff for a lot of things, and I’m thrilled that we can continue to work together.”

Gerber said she takes it as a huge honor that Medina County felt someone from her organization was worthy of handling such an important role.

“Shannon was truly limited here in ways she could move beyond what she was doing,” Gerber said. “That’s a role we didn’t have, so we’re all excited for her. She is leaving some huge shoes to fill because she was so passionate and innovative, and she was a visionary. We will miss her dearly, but this was an opportunity she absolutely had to take. Medina County is getting a great person, and she’s going to do great things.”

Gerber said the chamber will now take its time in bringing on someone to fulfill the roles Carter had assumed, and she said they will work hard to find a perfect fit as they redefine the role and work some new sales aspects into it.