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Governor appoints Carey to Council on Tourism
New Glarus business owner sees Wisconsin as ‘Napa of the north’
Deb Carey
Deb Carey

MADISON — Governor Tony Evers announced Aug. 19 three new appointments to the Wisconsin Governor’s Council on Tourism, who will join three appointments made earlier this year. Included in the appointments is Deborah Carey of New Glarus Brewing Co.

“I’m really excited for this opportunity,” Carey said. “It will be nice to have a chance to brag up Wisconsin.”

According to a press release from the Governor’s office, the Council on Tourism advises the Secretary of the Department of Tourism on matters relating to marketing promotion and serves as a sounding board to the agency as it enacts its strategic plan to advance tourism.

Carey said she was approached to apply for the position, but before doing so, she made sure it would be a situation where she could truly have an impact.

“I didn’t want to be a figure head,” said Carey, who is the founder and president of the New Glarus Brewery and has been operating it since 1993. 

She hopes to be included in efforts to promote locally sourced and locally made items in the state. She also said she plans to focus efforts on putting things that might sometimes be overlooked into the spotlight, like natural resources, downtowns and food.

Carey will serve on the board with Luke Zahm, the host of “Wisconsin Foodie,” who she knows personally. She said they didn’t realize the other had applied, but feels strongly the two will work well together as fellow business owners.

“I don’t have a shiny resume,” Carey said with a laugh. “But we have a similar passion for natural resources and Wisconsin makers and that’s part of what makes us unique.”

Carey sees manufacturing as another important part of Wisconsin and also likes to remind people that Wisconsin spearheaded many of the popular niche items that other states have just started.

“People often forget that Wisconsin … was incredible at creating cheese and beer styles way back in the 20s,” she said. “This is part of the fabric of Wisconsin and I’m excited to have a position to talk about that.”

She considers herself a “game changer” even when some change might not be as comfortable for others. She said she loves the sophistication that Wisconsin offers in its hidden gems and looks forward to being a part of helping promote them.

“I’m a proponent of all things made in Wisconsin,” Carey said. “I live in a spectacularly beautiful state … we sometimes have a tendency to overlook our own treasures. I really want to raise the profile of Wisconsin so that the world knows that we are the Napa of the north.” 

The three new members will begin serving immediately. The council is comprised of 14 gubernatorial appointees and seven ex-officio members. 

The three appointments to the Governor’s Council on Tourism include:

● Deborah Carey, founder and president of the award-winning, New Glarus Brewing Company. A recognized entrepreneurial spirit, Cary raised the capital for the start-up as a gift to her husband, establishing her as the first woman to found and operate a brewery in the United States. Since then, she has combined business management, marketing expertise and brewing professionalism to develop a world-class operation. Notably, Cary was honored by former President Barack Obama as a Champion of Change for her extraordinary contributions in her community and beyond.  

● Missy Tracy, municipal relations coordinator at Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison and a tribal member of the Ho-Chunk Nation. Missy has served on the board for the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling since 2009 in addition to serving on five local boards in the Madison community. She also previously served as the Senior Public Relations Manager for Ho-Chunk Gaming in the Wisconsin Dells. 

● Luke Zahm, host of “Wisconsin Foodie,” which airs on Wisconsin Public Television. He is also the owner and head chef of Driftless Cafe, which he has operated with his wife in Viroqua since 2013, drawing diners from near and far to enjoy the ever-changing menu featuring ingredients from the local farming community. He is a two-time winner of the Edible Madison Local Hero Award and was named a 2017 James Beard Best Chef Midwest semifinalist.

These three appointees join three other new council members appointed to the council in March:

● Genyne Edwards, JD served as the Deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism from 2003-2007. An experienced consultant and attorney, she has worked in community development and social enterprise for more than 20 years, driving impactful solutions to improve disparities in the Milwaukee region. Edwards has been listed among the Milwaukee Business Journal Woman of Influence and recognized as one of the Most Influential African Americans in the Tourism Industry by Black Meetings and Tourism. Dr. Edwards serves on the Department’s Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion committee.

● Nathan Gordon, Vice Chairman of the Red Cliff Tribe of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians Tribe/Nation. In addition to managing daily Tribal government administration, he leads the collaboration with County, State, Federal and Tribal agencies to improve life, programs and services for the Red Cliff Community and Tribe. Gordon established the Red Cliff tourism team in 2017 and serves on the Board of Directors for Native American Tourism of Wisconsin.

● Robert Davis, DVM is the President and CEO of America’s Black Holocaust Museum in Milwaukee and serves as a board member at the Association of African American Museums. Davis also serves as the principal of DRMD Strategies LLC, a nonprofit strategic consulting firm with expertise in the areas of diversity, equity, collaborative alliances, communications, animal health and diversity, inclusion planning and implementation, and is the former President and CEO of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. Dr. Davis is a co-chair of the Department’s Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion committee. 

The council aims to represent a varied geography and wide-ranging expertise that includes, but is not limited to, recreation and attraction business owners, hospitality and service industry business owners, convention and visitor bureaus, economic development specialists, industry thought leaders, legislators, and leaders of arts, historic and cultural destinations.