MARY KERR TO RETIRE AS PRESIDENT AND CEO OF DESTINATION ANN ARBOR

It is with mixed emotions that we announce the retirement of Mary Kerr, President and CEO of Destination Ann Arbor. Her last day will be July 31, 2022.  

It is difficult, if not impossible, to sum up her achievements throughout these past 27 years of dedicated service.  During her tenure, Mary was instrumental in growing our local non-profit from an $800k budget to over $7M in 2019. During her earlier years, Mary partnered with the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters to bring their national training program to Washtenaw Community College, which continues to this day. In addition, the Electrical Training Alliance and Irownworkers International have each held their training programs in Washtenaw County for over a decade, contributing over $20M in estimated economic impact for our County. More recently, Mary’s leadership saw the successful merger of the Ann Arbor CVB and Ypsilanti CVB into a unified countywide entity. Shortly thereafter, she oversaw the creation of the new Destination Ann Arbor brand name and identity, which further cemented the Ann Arbor area as a destination of choice for visiting, living, working, and building a business. Working with a devoted board of directors and staff, Mary also oversaw the launch of the Ann Arbor Sports Commission, a 10-year destination master plan for the County, the creation of a strategic recovery plan to rebuild the local economy in response to the pandemic, and countless other key initiatives during her time with the organization. Mary’s support of Washtenaw County went far beyond her duties at Destination Ann Arbor. Over the years she has served on various boards for many local organizations such as Food Gatherers, Ann Arbor Summer Festival, Creative Washtenaw, Michigan Works! SE, Michigan Association of CVBs, and others that aim to improve the quality of life for area residents, support the business and arts community, and advocate for the hospitality industry.  

“Words cannot express my deep gratitude for the many people whom I have been blessed to work bedside over the years. From our dedicated board members and talented staff to the many elected officials I have been honored to know, I offer each of you a heartfelt thank you for the many years of support. And to my friends at Pure Michigan and Under the Radar Michigan, I appreciate the countless ways you have championed Washtenaw County. I will miss working with each of you.,” shared Mary. 

Listen to Mary Kerr's interview with WEMU >

From Destination Ann Arbor’s Board Chair, Michael Weber: “Mary’s impact on this organization and our community cannot be overstated. Her presence and leadership will be greatly missed, but we wish her all the happiness and joy in her much-deserved retirement.” 

Effective August 1, the current COO of Destination Ann Arbor, Sarah Miller, will assume Mary's duties as the Interim President & CEO. A search committee will be placed to move forward in naming a permanent successor. 

In lieu of a retirement party, we will honor Mary by creating a farewell video. We invite each of you to share your sentiments by participating in the video.

Video participation options include:

  1. Record landscape (widescreen).
  2. Record in a quiet area.
  3. Record in a well-lit area, without windows directly behind you.
  4. Send all submissions, by July 31,  to josh@russellvideo.com

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:​

  1. What are three adjectives you would use to describe Mary?​
  2. What is something you know about Mary that maybe the rest of us don't? (hobbies, funny stories, favorite food, etc.)​
  3.  How has Mary's leadership impacted your community?​
  4. How has Mary inspired you?​
  5. What would you say to Mary as she moves into the next chapter of life? Mary has been a true inspiration for all of us. We wish her the very best in her retirement. 

Mary has been a true inspiration for all of us. We wish her the very best in her retirement.