Members of the downtown promotion organization, St. Joseph Today will find a new face behind the desk at the agency's Welcome Center in the central business district…but for many it will be a familiar face, as well.
The Board of Directors of St. Joseph Today have announced the hiring of veteran non-profit organization leader and former hospitality industry exec Amy Zapal of St. Joseph as the organization’s new Executive Director, coming on board next month.
Zapal comes to the business promotion and tourism development agency from her more than six year stint as Executive Director of the Heritage Museum & Cultural Center in St. Joseph. She will take the reins from Interim Director & Events Manager Brian Smith who stepped in following the resignation of former director Whitney Behnke who left at the end of October.
Board Chair Deb Sailor of Jimmy Johns in St. Joe says, she is very excited to have Amy joining the team, adding, “I have great confidence in her leadership and work experience and have high expectations that she will be an amazing executive director and do great things for St. Joseph Today and all of its members.”
The 49-year old Zapal brings a strong track record to the SJT team having doubled sales at the Heritage Museum while building strong client and community relationships there. Prior to her role with the museum, Amy was Event Coordinator for Stage Flights, Inc. of South Haven for a year and a half where she also doubled sales in her time there.
Her hospitality background includes 17 years of service ranging from a three-year run as Convention Manager at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, three-years as Catering Manager with Lettuce Entertain You, a major Chicago region restaurateur, and 11 years with Clementine’s in South Haven.
Zapal says, “I am honored and thrilled to accept the Executive Director position at St. Joe Today. I look forward to working with the staff, Board of Directors, members and partners and to offering my best to such a wonderful organization in service to our incredible community.”
Zapal will wrap up her business with the Heritage Center over the next couple of weeks, joining the staff at St. Joseph Today next month and debuting to the full membership at the organization's annual meeting coming up in March.
