Hometown passion makes Steve Picker a natural to run Jefferson City's CVB

Steve Picker is the director of the Jefferson City Convention and Vistor's Bureau.
Steve Picker is the director of the Jefferson City Convention and Vistor's Bureau.

Perched atop the Christmas tree in the front window of the downtown office of the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau is a bright, road-worker orange cap, one of the many items advertising the tours at the Missouri State Penitentiary.

And while others might find that more than a little odd, it is completely on par for Steve Picker, who spends almost every waking moment making certain he never misses an opportunity to promote his community.

A lifelong resident of Jefferson City - save the time he spent studying hotel and restaurant management at the University of Missouri and working in Kansas City for four years - Picker said that for as much as he enjoys his job as executive director of the CVB, it was never a job that he envisioned for himself.