The Terre Haute Convention and Visitors Bureau (THCVB) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the promotion of Karen Dyer to the position of Executive Director, effective April 9. Dyer, currently serving as Director of Strategic Initiatives, will succeed David Patterson, who is retiring after 30 years of dedicated service to the organization.
Since joining the THCVB, Dyer has demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic vision, making significant contributions to the growth and development of THCVB's initiatives. Dyer has focused on building collaborative community partnerships and strategic growth of tourism initiatives locally, regionally, and at the state level, which will continue in her new role.
"We are thrilled to have Karen Dyer as our new Executive Director," said Greg Gibson, President of the THCVB Board of Directors. "Karen's passion for promoting Terre Haute, combined with her track record of leadership and innovation, make her the ideal person to take the THCVB into the future."
Before joining THCVB, Dyer served 27 years in higher education fundraising, marketing, communications, and strategic planning, most recently as the Executive Vice President for Advancement and Strategic Initiatives at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.
"I am honored to have this opportunity," said Dyer. "David established the THCVB as a leader in the state’s tourism industry with a specific focus on sports tourism, bringing people across the United States to our community. We owe a great deal to David for his leadership and for laying a strong foundation that has positioned Terre Haute where it is today - on a tourism growth trajectory! I look forward to building on this legacy as the community adds new hotels and attractions and strategizes for the future.”
As Executive Director, Dyer will oversee THCVB's marketing of the See You In Terre Haute brand, promotion, strategic planning, partnership development, regionalism initiatives, and operations. She will work closely with the Board of Directors, staff, and community stakeholders to advance THCVB's mission of promoting tourism in Terre Haute and Vigo County.
"We are confident that Karen's leadership will ensure the continued success and growth of THCVB, especially as we saw our best year ever in 2023 for tourism," added Gibson. "We thank David for his three decades of dedicated service and wish him a fulfilling retirement."
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation's (IEDC) 2022 report, released in February 2024, underscored the positive impact of tourism on Vigo County's economy. Visitor spending reached $283 million, generating a total economic impact of $166 million and supporting 3,865 jobs. Tourism activities contributed $31.3 million in revenues in 2022.
“We are poised to see significant increases in our tourism numbers for 2024, which are already running ahead of last year," said Dyer. Terre Haute will have a busy summer as we host the Terre Haute Air Show and Special Olympics Indiana 2024 Summer Games and see the opening of several new attractions, including the new Larry Bird Museum. In addition to making our visitors feel welcome, one of our goals will be to get them to come back in the future!”
Dyer added, “There’s a buzz about Terre Haute right now throughout all of Indiana, and I hope to leverage this excitement as we build on and expand our See You In Terre Haute brand.”