Familiar face pegged to lead Convention and Visitor's Bureau

After spending 18 years telling stories as a newspaper reporter and editor, Jared Jernagan is still telling stories, albeit in a much different fashion.

Jernigan was recently tapped as the executive director of the Putnam County Convention and Visitors Bureau, replacing Eric Freeman, who had served as executive director for nine years. 

"The CVB board is very excited to welcome Jared as the new executive director. He considers Putnam County his home and will be a great resource in promoting tourism here," CVB Board President Tammy Hunter said in a press release. 

For Jernigan, the job allows him to tell the stories of all that happens in Putnam County, reaching both locals and visitors. 

"To me, it entails telling the story of this community. I understand that's what I've been trying to do for 18 years, but this is with a focus of trying to get folks from outside here. For those who don't know, the Convention and Visitors' Bureau does not run on any tax dollars. What we do get is the Innkeeper Tax, so when anyone stays in one of our hotels, bed and breakfast, campground, there is a certain amount taken out for that and it comes back to our agency. We use those funds to promote and build up the county in terms of different tourism things and get people here," Jernigan told The Putnam County Post.

He admits his experience in the newspaper industry helped prepare him for his new role.

"It very much prepared me for this. When I met with the board, I told them I don't know tourism, but I know this community, and I think that just matters so much. As I looked to this and thought about it as a possibility, I really thought about it as an opportunity to still be a storyteller. I am still trying to tell the story of this community, but now my audiendance is people who are elsewhere and trying to get them to come here. The other thing is, and I told the board this in my interview, is two of my favorite parts of my old job I thought I could still do here and those are try to be this county's biggest cheerleader and build coalitions and partnerships in the community. I can't accomplish the things we want to accomplish by myself. If we are partnering with the Chamber, with MainStreet Greencastle, with the University, with Economic Development, with all kinds of different organizations and the local governments, that's when we can all accomplish what we want together. Our goals may not be the same, but the way we get there is," Jernigan said. 

In the past, the focus has centered around outdoor recreation, something Jernigan is going to keep as a focus. 

"We've been trying to use that to continue to build up our pathways. We think and hope relatively soon, we can announce the first county park, and that is something we have partnered with the still relatively new county parks department. We think that's close to happening," Jernigan said. 

Jernigan said he is "still learning and trying to gather resources" when it comes to drawing people to Greencastle and Putnam County. 

"It's using social media, it's virtual newsletters, it's storytelling. I am still gathering the various ways I can do that and do that well, but it is just do all we can to continue to get our name out there and figure out who we can partner with to get our name out there," he said, adding every Monday he gets a report of leads from people who have expressed an interest in Putnam County.