New CVB director hired

Anne Pressly walks her two dogs during the 2007 Paws on the Runway charity event.
Anne Pressly walks her two dogs during the 2007 Paws on the Runway charity event.

The Jefferson City Convention & Visitors Bureau announced Wednesday the hire of Diane Gillespie as its new executive director.

Diane Gillespie, a native of Springfield who has lived in Jefferson City with her family for the past 14 years, has nearly 20 years of experience working for the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau. She served as the director of sales and most recently as the senior sales manager responsible for the Jefferson City market. In the past, Gillespie also worked as the director of Ssales for the Springfield University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center and as the operations manager for Kirkwood Hospitality in Branson.

"The Board of Directors worked diligently to select the next executive director for the Jefferson City Convention & Visitors Bureau," said CVB Board President Kevin Zumwalt. "We strongly believe that the skills and background Diane Gillespie brings to the table will ensure the CVB is in good hands, and we are confident she will enable the CVB to continue to enhance the experience tourists have when visiting our city."

Gillespie will replace Steve Picker, who resigned in October to operate a vacation rental company in Pensacola, Fla. Shelley Klebba had been serving as interim executive director while the search was conducted.