Gov. Gibbons will appoint tourism director despite plan to cut position

Gov. Jim Gibbons will appoint a new state tourism director despite his call to eliminate the position, according to the governor's representative.

Tourism is a "high priority" for Gibbons, Dan Burns said Tuesday.

Burns said he doesn't know when Gibbons will select the director from among three finalists, but that the governor does not want to leave the job open long.

The position has been vacant since Tim Maland resigned in September. The Nevada Commission on Tourism would not consider Gibbons' first choice for a replacement, Kirk Montero. Commission members said his application came in too late.

The tourism commission, chaired by Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, picked three finalists March 2 from about 70 applicants for Gibbons to choose from.

The finalists are Pasquale Barone, Dann H. Lewis and Tom Jensen.

Krolicki hopes the governor will appoint the director as soon as possible, said Kathy Besser, Krolicki's chief of staff.

She said Krolicki opposes the governor's proposal to combine the tourism commission and the Nevada Commission on Economic Development.

This merger, included in Gibbons' proposed budget, would eliminate the tourism director position and save the state about $300,000.

Gibbons also has proposed cutting the tourism commission's budget by 60 percent and reducing staff by one-third.

Spokeswoman Chris Chrystal said the tourism commission cut more than $4 million from its $20 million budget this fiscal year because of a drop in tourism.

"We've shaved things down pretty close to the grain," she said.

Hotel room taxes will likely be down about 15 percent this year compared to last year, Steve Woodbury, acting tourism director, told the state senate finance committee last week.

Pasquale Barone, Danbury, Conn.

Former managing director for global sales of Eos Airlines in Purchase, N.Y. Barone also has been president of PLJC Consulting in Chicago and national manager for international leisure sales for United Airlines in Chicago. He graduated from Davenport University in Michigan.

Dann H. Lewis, Brunswick, Maine

Former project manager for the Transportation and Tourism Research Initiative with the Maine Department of Transportation. He also has been acting commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development and director of tourism for the I Love NY Campaign for the New York State Department of Commerce. He graduated from Dartmouth College.

Tom Jensen, Freeland, Wash.

Real estate agent in Whidbey Island, Wash. He has been president and co-founder of International Tourism Councils and director of marketing for the Heavenly Mountain Resort at Lake Tahoe. He graduated from the University of Washington