N.C. Secretary of Commerce J. Keith Crisco announced today that Lynn Minges has been promoted to Assistant Secretary for Tourism, Marketing and Global Branding. In the expanded role, Minges will continue to lead the development and marketing of the state’s tourism, film, sports and wine industries, but will also help position the state as the preferred location for domestic and international business.
Minges, who has been with Commerce for nearly 16 years, will be tasked with consolidating marketing and promotion functions within the department to brand the state in a unified manner and to position North Carolina globally as a premier travel and business location. She will also identify efficiencies and streamline department operations.
“We are very fortunate to have a person with such outstanding credentials for this job,” Crisco said. "Lynn brings a great mix of enthusiasm and experience that will help position North Carolina as a leader in economic development. She has a track record of success in building strong alliances and partnerships with stakeholders.”
“She also shares my vision of a multi-faceted approach to creating jobs and economic prosperity in each of our state’s 100 counties, paying special attention to the more rural areas of our state that aren’t always served best by traditional economic development strategies,” Crisco added. “Her extensive experience in North Carolina, especially with smaller towns and communities, will help Commerce be more responsive to the needs of both rural and urban portions of our state.”
Tourism is a vital economic engine in North Carolina, Crisco added. In 2007, tourism generated $16.5 billion in visitor spending, supported 190,000 jobs for the state’s citizens and generated more than $1.3 billion in state and local tax revenues. Over the past decade, all 100 N.C. counties have seen unprecedented year-to-year growth in tourism revenues.
Under Minges’ leadership, the Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development has been honored for marketing excellence with numerous national and international awards including the Southern Governors Association’s “Best Practices in Integrated Brand Marketing.”
“I have spent most of my career working with communities across this state to look at creative approaches to economic development and I am committed to embracing small business development, preservation and promotion of the rich art and culture of our state; workforce education and training; and to continuing to foster a business-friendly environment that maximizes opportunities here, while also recruiting new opportunities,” Minges said. “It will be rewarding to communicate North Carolina’s unique value proposition both to consumers and to the business community, and to share the message that our state is a great place to live, work, play and grow a business.”