Appalachian Ohio Tourism Group Met in Belmont County
Appalachian Ohio, a 32-county tourism networking group focused on promoting the many natural and man made resources of the state’s “hill country”, met at Belmont Hills Country Club early last month.
Barnesville Mayor Jake Hershberger welcomed the group to Belmont County for a half day meeting that included the election of officers/board members and an announcement the group was awarded a $100,000 Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) planning grant.
Charles Grooms, treasurer of the group, who serves as the Waverly Village mayoral assistant, was the principal architect of the successful grant application. The “capacity building” grant will help the group develop the infrastructure to boost tourism and economic activity in a region that runs from Ashtabula County on Lake Erie to Clermont County along the Ohio River east of Cincinnati.
“We view tourism as an economic driver for Appalachian Ohio from attractions to CVBs,” said Grooms. “We are in the best spot to help make an impact through tourism and economic development.”
The slate of officers and board members elected for 2026 are:
President -Deanna Clark of the Marietta-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Vice President – Jackee Pugh of the Belmont County Tourism Council
Treasurer – Chandler Grooms of the Village of Waverly in Pike County
Secretary – Diane Lautenschleger of the Coshocton County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Eastern Region Representative – Mindy Brems of the Coshocton County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Central Region Representative – Amy Spoutz of the Athens County Convention and Visitors Bureau
At Large “A” Representative – Dough Kish of Compass Ohio publication
At Large “C” Representative – Jeff Minosky of the Noble County Visitors and Convention Bureau
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