Discover Kalamazoo hosted its annual meeting on Wednesday evening, December 10th, at Bell’s Eccentric Café with over 150 community members from around the County involved in the travel and tourism industry. One of the highlights of the meeting is the presentation of the annual Partnership Awards, which recognize the accomplishments of individuals, events, and organizations that have had a positive impact on the regional hospitality/tourism industry.
Recipients of the 2025 Discover Kalamazoo Partnership Awards are:
- Airway Fun Center
- Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo
- Fred Rahme with Fairfield Inn & Suites East
- Corey Person with United Persuit
Interactions with front-line workers in the hospitality industry often impact the overall experience of visitors, and the Front-Line Hospitality Award was established to acknowledge an individual worker in the industry. This year’s award recipient was Alyssa Edwards, bartender and front desk agent at SpringHill Suites by Marriott Kalamazoo Portage, who was recognized for providing exceptional service and receiving glowing reviews from guests at her property for over one and a half years. She was also a primary contributor to the SpringHill Suites achievement of the 2024 Marriott Silver Circle Award.
Following the award presentation, Discover Kalamazoo Board Chair, Troy Thrash, and President and CEO, Jane Ghosh, led an interactive quiz featuring community stakeholders who posed questions and shared key insights about Kalamazoo County’s tourism over the past year. The question that Jonas Peterson, CEO of Southwest Michigan First, asked revealed that sports tourism currently generates an annual economic impact of approximately $30 million for the county, with an expected additional $50 million beginning in 2027 following the opening of the new indoor sports facility. Kelly Linton, ADA Specialist and Systems Advocate of Disability Network Southwest Michigan, asked a question that emphasized Kalamazoo’s strong leadership in accessibility, noting that the destination ranks third in the nation for “accessibility verified” locations, first among destinations of our size, and first in Michigan.
Clarence Lloyd, Director of the Chamber of Commerce in Kalamazoo County and Vice President of Southwest Michigan First, also shared information about a major initiative launching in 2026: Discover Kalamazoo has engaged a firm to develop a comprehensive 10-year Tourism Master Plan for Kalamazoo County. This plan will help position the county to capitalize on emerging industry trends and will serve as a roadmap for making Kalamazoo County an even better place to live, work, and visit.
The business portion of the meeting included nominations and elections for both the Discover Kalamazoo Board of Directors and Advisory Council. The slate for the 2026 Discover Kalamazoo Board of Directors was approved with the following candidates:
- Craig Davies, Chair, Radisson Plaza Hotel & Suites
- Jeff Breneman, Vice Chair, Western Michigan University
- Rich MacDonald, Secretary, The Hinman Company
- Dave Beysiegel, Treasurer, Greenleaf Hospitality Group
- Michelle Hargrave, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
- Clarence Lloyd, The Chamber at Southwest Michigan First
- Amy Luce, Past Secretary, Kalamazoo House Bed and Breakfast
- Troy Thrash, Past Chair, Air Zoo
- Megan Zielke, Vintage in the Zoo
- Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners Appointment
- Jane Ghosh, President and CEO, Discover Kalamazoo
Discover Kalamazoo’s Advisory Council has 17 members continuing their current terms of service:
- Jeff Breneman, Western Michigan University
- Annemarie Cheatham, Next Level Sports Center
- Craig Davies, Radisson Plaza Hotel and Suites
- Deb Droppers, Kalamazoo Experiential Learning Center
- Stephanie Hinman, Skyrise Luxury Apartments
- Donte Hudson, The Kalamazoo Promise
- Matt Kakabeeke, Kalamazoo Optimists Hockey Association
- Tracey Lawie, Miller Auditorium
- Amy Luce, Kalamazoo House Bed and Breakfast
- Rich MacDonald, Hinman Company
- Bobby Patel, multiple hotel properties, including Best Western Plus and Comfort Inn
- Dave Rachowicz, Kalamazoo County Parks & Expo Center
- Lindsay Randolph, Delta Hotels Marriott Kalamazoo
- Troy Thrash, Air Zoo
- Pierre van der Westhuizen, The Gilmore
- Andy Wenzel, Fishbeck
- Megan Zielke, Vintage in the Zoo
Existing members continuing service with a new term expiring December 31, 2028:
- Cherri Emery, Cherri’s Chocol’art
- Michelle Hargave, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
- Clarence Lloyd, The Chamber at Southwest Michigan First
- Justin Wendzel, Gull Meadow Farms
- Craig Williams, Kalamazoo Battle Creek International Airport
New members beginning service with a three-year term expiring December 31, 2027:
- Heather Graves, Kalamazoo Nature Center
- Tyler Houser, Airway Fun Center
- Ben Lando, NowKalamazoo
- Chris O’Neill, One Well Brewing
- Keanah Smith, Western Michigan University
- Adrian Vazquez, El Concilio
New member beginning service with a two-year term expiring December 31, 2026:
- Harvin Sandhu, Five Rivers Property Management
New members beginning service with a one-year term expiring December 31, 2026:
- Nick LaCasse, Gilmore Car Museum
- Val Walters, Bell's Brewery
Discover Kalamazoo also acknowledged the end of service for seven advisory council members and thanked them for their years of volunteer leadership:
- Ken Fischang, Gilmore Car Museum
- Kathleen Hoyle, Portage Parks and Recreation
- Danielle Lewis, Black Arts and Cultural Center
- Kristie May, NowKalamazoo
- Lisa Panich, Kalamazoo Nature Center
- Sterling Riethman, Bell's Brewery
- Ida Salas, La Familia Cafe
