Tourism panel chooses finalists for director

A search committee has selected six finalists, including three Nevadans, for Tourism Commission director.

The committee will interview them next week, according to Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, and present the top candidates to the full commission.

"If everyone interviews well, then we would bring all of these names to the commission," said Krolicki, chairman of the commission.

The commission will pick three to submit to Gov. Jim Gibbons, who is required by law to select from that list.

Krolicki said that before any selection is made, the commission must determine whether the governor's plan to combine tourism and the Economic Development Commission into a single entity will get through the Legislature. He and other commissioners oppose that plan, which the governor says will save the state money.

He said it is "critical we get some guidance" from lawmakers before selecting a director who might be out of a job a few months later. The governor's proposal was to eliminate the tourism director's post and have the head of economic development run both operations.

Sixty-seven people applied for the job vacated by Tim Maland in September. That list did not include Kirk Montero, who Gibbons at one point demanded be named a finalist. The full commission rejected Montero, saying his application didn't arrive until 10 days after the deadline.

The six candidates are:

- Tamara Hollingsworth of Carson City, manager of the Tahoe Beach and Ski Club, Vacation Resorts International at South Lake Tahoe.

- Kim Stoll of Reno, director of marketing, advertising and media relations at Reno's Peppermill and its four sister properties around the state. She has more than 25 years experience in tourism related fields.

- Charles Pullen of Reno, the northern California and Nevada regional account supervisor for Zimmerman Advertising of Florida, one of the nation's largest advertising firms.

- Dann H. Lewis, project manager for Transportation and Tourism Research Initiatives in Maine.

- Tom Jensen, a Washington state realtor with a long list of travel and tourism credentials.

- Pasquale Barone, managing director of Global Sales for Eos Airlines in New York. His credentials include five years as international sales manager for United Airlines.

Krolicki said during an earlier meeting the choices would be tough since a number of highly qualified candidates applied for the job.

In addition to Krolicki, the search committee includes former Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt-Bono, Ryan Sheltra, Chuck Bowling and Ferenc Szony.

- Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.