Promoting Fallon’s charm

The Fallon City Council has appointed Jane Moon its new director of Tourism and Visitor Events and also as a member of the mayor’s cabinet.

Moon, who takes over for the retired Rick Gray, said she is honored to direct the city’s tourism and marketing plan into the future.

“It’s an interesting job, and it is community oriented by inviting people — our guests – to visit this wonderful area of ours,” Moon said.

Moon said she will continue the vision of maintaining that fun and family-oriented lifestyle for Fallon, but she will also be tasked to promote the Lahontan Valley as a destination for youth and adult sports tournaments, for example, to include softball, baseball and basketball.

In the short term, though, Moon said she will examine the area’s existing programs that were implemented by Gray but also move forward in adding or revamping programs.

“We’ll see what works and what hasn’t worked,” Moon said.

As a member of Mayor Ken Tedford’s cabinet, Moon will be able to brainstorm with other members about tourism-related issues in Fallon. Additionally, she said Candy Dolan is responsible for the convention center and its operation. So far, Moon said she has enjoyed working with the staff, and especially has enjoyed meeting the tourists who come to the convention center looking for area-related material.

“I love the tourists,” she said, “and especially where they come from, and why they’re traveling, especially on Highway 50.”

Moon said she also has enjoyed meeting visitors from Europe.

“The tourists have been sure delight for me,” she said.

For now, though, Moon is also looking toward the immediate future, She said the Fallon Cantaloupe Festival is a great event familiar to many Nevadans. She said the annual event already has a market and brand. Moon also said Tractors & Truffles, which began six years ago, showcases locally produced and grown products and concludes with an evening arts performance at Barkley Theatre.

“It’s from farm to table, and the folks outside the community see a farm lifestyle event,” Moon said.

Other events that attract large crowds to the Lahontan Valley, said Moon, include Octane Fest, Spring Wings and Rural Rumble boxing. Moon said she is a fan of boxing and is looking forward to this year’s event, which is Aug. 27 at the fairgrounds.

Tedford said he moved the tourism director’s position to the cabinet level. In interviewing Moon for the position, Tedford said he was looking for a solid team player who would be able to deal with all levels of the city.

“She has a positive, upbeat personality,” Tedford said when explaining his interview with her. “I am totally captivated by the personality she brings. She has a passion for Fallon and has lived here most of her life.”

Tedford said it’s important for someone in the tourism director’s position to improve Fallon and what it offers.

“She’s a great self-starter who has the ability to bring events here,” Tedford said, adding she will develop a vision for Fallon’s future. In addition to bringing more tourism to Fallon, Tedford said Moon, along with the cabinet, will focus on increasing business and the overall economy in the area.

Moon, who moved to Fallon in her sophomore year, is a 1988 graduate of Churchill County High School and 1992 graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno. Her father was in the U.S. Navy and moved to Fallon 31 years ago before retiring in 1992. Mo9on said the family had lived in Misawa, Japan for five years.

After high school, Moon received a B.A. in Social Psychology and a B.S. in Pre-medicine. Her graduate studies were in medical ethics.

Moon and her husband Steve married in 1996 when both were working in Las Vegas. They relocated to Fallon in 2003 when Steve Moon accepted a position with Lumos and Associates.

They have two children — Mahal and Steven — and while the children were growing up, Moon said she worked as a consultant in public relations as an outreach community liaison.