FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 25,
2002) – Gary Ewen, senior sales manager with the Lee County Visitor &
Convention Bureau, has been reappointed to the 15-member Board of Trustees of
the National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC).
In his duties at the VCB, Ewen
is in charge of the county’s Sports Marketing Program, as well as representing
Southwest Florida as regional Sports Commissioner for the Florida Sports
Foundation. He is an 18-year county
employee.
The Cincinnati-based NASC’s
primary mission is to facilitate communication between host cities and sports
event rights holders. It also
promotes the value of sports commissions and educates its members on sports
marketing and fund raising. More
than 260 cities participate in the Association.
“I
supported Gary's reappointment because he adds valuable insight from a mid-sized
market, and his experience and tenure benefits the organization’s long range
strategic plans,” says Don Schumacher, the NASC’s president.
Ewen has been instrumental in
attracting amateur and professional sporting events to Lee County.
On tap for this spring/summer
are the Roy Hobbs Memorial Day Baseball Tournament, the Independent Softball
Association (ISA) Half Century Men’s 50+ Softball Tournament, the “Perfect
Game” showcase event for baseball, the ISA Easton National Invitational
Tournament, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA), the Amateur Athletic
Union’s (AAU) 18-year-old and under National Baseball Championships, Union
Printers International Baseball League (UPIBL), the National Police Athletic
League (PAL) for its National Baseball World Series, ASA Coed State National
Championship and Gulf Coast International baseball tournament.
These events are expected to bring 250 teams to Lee County with an
economic impact of $2.9 million.