Margie Emmermann

Director

Arizona Office of Tourism

4.5 years in the travel industry

How did your career evolve and how did you choose your career path?
In the evolution of my career, I have found that the path has often chosen me as opposed to me deciding which path to follow. I spent more than 20 years in the private sector overseeing Hispanic marketing and strategic planning initiatives for the US West Communications (now Qwest) and Bank of America. I decided to make the leap to Arizona State government about 13 years ago when Governor Symington asked me to serve as his Mexico Policy Advisor and to oversee the Arizona-Mexico Commission. My background in the private sector and experience in the Mexico market were a tremendous asset when I took over as the Director of the Arizona Department of Commerce. In every step of my career I have taken on new challenges and always learned something new, and since Governor Janet Napolitano asked me to serve as Director of the Arizona Office of Tourism in 2002, I am amazed at the incredible things I continue to learn about this dynamic industry.

What is the greatest value gained from your TIA membership?
As someone who was relatively new to the tourism industry, my TIA membership has provided me with invaluable opportunities to learn about the industry from true experts and leaders. My fellow state tourism directors are a dynamic group of people and their insight and knowledge has given me a better understanding of the ins and outs of the tourism industry. In addition, my role on the TIA Board of Directors has enabled me to represent the interests of my constituents in Arizona on a federal level and to ensure that our tourism industry in Arizona is supportive of TIA initiatives.

What is the greatest challenge you have faced in your job?
I think it depends on the day of the week! In a state as diverse as Arizona, one of the biggest challenges is balancing the needs of our rural and urban communities to ensure that we are representing all areas of the state and giving the consumer the informtion they need. Arizona is a unique mix of vibrant metropolitan areas and interesting small towns, and the key to successfully promoting this diversity is to find the right mix of marketing programs and initiatives that will drive visitation and spread tourism dollars throughout the state.

What has been your greatest success/achievement?
My family is definitely my greatest source of strength and without them I would not be where I am today. Fom a professional standpoint, I think that my greatest achievement has been serving the people of Arizona for nearly 15 years. In a world where government-appointed positions often come with an expiration date because a new adminstration is taking over, I have been able to use my diverse background to transcend political affiliations and become a leader in the business and tourism community. I also believe that success is irrelevant if you don't take the time to give back to your community and become a mentor for the leaders of the future.

If you could have dinner with any three people, past or present, who would they be and why?
1. My mom — I come from a large Hispanic family and sharing a meal is our foundation, so I think of my mom every time we sit down to the table.

2. Kiefer Sutherland — I want him to tell me what's going to happen on "24" in the upcoming year so I can stop being a slave to my TiVo.

3. Pope John Paul II — I would like to thank him for making the Catholic Church more accessible to all. He traveled to all corners of the world and reached out to the common every day person to allow the church to be better understood.

List two things that you absolutely could not live without.
1. My family

2. Good Tequila

TIA would like to thank Margie for providing us with a fun insight into the makeup of one of the travel industry's leaders. She has been a great asset to TIA in the past few years and we certainly look forward to sharing many more with her.

If you, or anyone you know, are a TIA member and would like further information on our new TIA Member Profile program, please contact Helen Maplesden at hmaplesden@tia.org.