Jacy Jenkins is the new Tourism Director for the Russell County-Phenix City Convention and Visitors Bureau.  The announcement was made at a news conference at Troy University on Thursday afternoon, September 1st, by Wade Burford, Chair of the Board for the Phenix City-Russell County Chamber of Commerce and President and CEO of CB&T of East Alabama.

Jenkins will be responsible for the expansion of tourism in Phenix City and Russell County through the implementation of a strategic marketing plan, forging new partnerships and leveraging state and regional tourism efforts.

In accepting the new role, Jenkins said, “I’m honored to be able to serve Russell County and Phenix City.  It is an exciting time for our area.  We have so many good things happening and look forward to accelerating those efforts and showcasing our assets to grow our tourism industry.”

Search committee members, Wade Burford, Rinkesh Patel, RAM Hotels; Tony Taylor, Taylor Funeral Homes; Peggy Martin, Russell County Commission; David White, Troy University, and Vic Cross, Phenix City-Russell County Chamber of Commerce felt Jenkins’ mix of local knowledge, passion for the community, and diverse experience gave her the right balance to allow her to quickly move forward and attract even more visitors to the area.  

“Jacy is an experienced organizer, communicator, connector and visionary,” Burford said.  “Her knowledge of the area and all it has to offer will mesh well with her proven ability to effectively utilize a wide range of marketing strategies.  Jay’s proven track record of organizing collaborative and creative efforts will serve her and the entire Russell County-Phenix City area well in this role.”

Jenkins founded Electric City, collaborative, cultural, online magazine and is the mastermind behind the Monthly Meeting of Minds, a platform for connecting community members with industry experts to discuss tangible ways to get involved and make a difference in the community.  Most recently, Jenkins co-founded the Way Down Film Festival, a two-day film festival for filmmakers to showcase their work.

Jenkins will begin duties as Russell County-Phenix City Tourism Director on September 20th, 2016.