The Henry County Tourism Bureau has appointed Kelly Wolf as the new tourism director. 

“Kelly brings a wealth of experience in tourism and hospitality to the team,” said tourism bureau Director Gary Bradley. “We are excited to have her on board and look forward to her contributions in promoting Henry County as a tourist destination.”

Wolf, originally from Geneseo, has more than 15 years of experience, primarily gained in Houston, where she contributed to various aspects of the city’s tourism industry.

She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in hospitality and tourism management from Purdue University. In her most recent role as the RISE (Research in Illinois to Spur Economic Recovery) Grant coordinator she developed the 2024 Strategic Tourism Plan for Henry County. 

After the Henry County Tourism Bureau became inactive in 2021, the county worked with stakeholders and local government officials to form a new Henry County Tourism Board. The goal was to reintroduce a new Henry County Tourism Bureau that provides a stronger engagement of all tourism related stakeholders in the county. 

The plan not only aims to take advantage of the county’s existing resources and attractions, but to also explore new opportunities for growth and to attract a larger number of visitors. 

“We’re excited to have Kelly on board,” Bradley said. “She did a tremendous job of working with the bureau to put together the tourism plan, and we think she’ll do an even better job of implementing that plan over the next few years, helping each community and Henry County in our efforts to maximize the economic impact the tourism sector can have on our local communities.”

Wolf will collaborate closely with partners from the Henry County Tourism Bureau, the Henry County economic development director and neighboring tourism communities. 

“It’s a great privilege to be able to contribute to Henry County’s tourism efforts,” Wolf said. “Having grown up here, I’m excited to bring back the knowledge and experience I’ve gained to support the community’s growth.

 “I’m looking forward to collaborating with colleagues and partners across the county and surrounding areas to further enhance Henry County’s tourism landscape,” she said.