LAURA KNIGHT has been named vice president of sales, marketing and membership for the Tallahassee Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (TACVB). Her responsibilities include creating and implementing sales, marketing and member services strategies, which promote and sell the Tallahassee area resulting in positive economic impact.

A Tallahassee native, Knight was most recently the director of marketing and development for the Florida Department of State’s Office of Cultural & Historical Programs.  Previously, Knight spent more than 12 years in Orlando, Fla., where she served the better part of her career in the non-profit arts community. Her primary focus was blending good marketing strategies with productive fundraising programs to attract new audiences and help further the arts in Central Florida. While in Orlando, she held the positions of marketing and development director for the Orlando Repertory Theatre, a University of Central Florida partnership; as marketing director for the Orlando Opera and marketing director for the Orlando Museum of Art.

“Laura brings strong leadership skills and knowledge of the cultural community to the TACVB table,” says Sharon Liggett, president and CEO of the Tallahassee Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.  “We look forward to her being a part of our winning team.”

During 2005, Tallahassee/Leon County attracted 2.8 million visitors generating more than $772 million in direct spending and supporting the employment of nearly 13,900 people.