Reading Time: 2 minutes

At its July 2024 board meeting, the Tennessee River Valley Stewardship Council elected new officers and directors, bolstering efforts in conservation and geotourism.

At its quarterly board meeting in July 2024, the Tennessee River Valley (TRV) Stewardship Council elected new board officers and welcomed two new directors. These director nominations come from economic development districts throughout the region. The TRV Stewardship Council stands as the Southeast’s largest multistate-focused nonprofit, dedicated to advocating for community-driven resource conservation, supporting locally sourced business development, and promoting geotourism principles.

Christie Gribble and Bob Keast are set to join the Tennessee River Valley (TRV) Stewardship Council, contributing to the mission of advancing geotourism-aligned communication, education, preservation, and economic development initiatives in the 7-state Tennessee Valley region.

Geotourism is defined as tourism that sustains or enhances the distinctive geographical character of a place—its environment, heritage, aesthetics, culture, and the well-being of its residents.

The Stewardship Council acts as the steering committee and editorial board for the Tennessee River Valley MapGuide. Volunteers from Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee comprise the Council.

Christie Gribble, President & CEO of the Fannin County Chamber of Commerce & CVB in Blue Ridge, GA, brings seven years of Chamber experience. She has supported the community and visitors while working toward the preservation of natural resources and cultural heritage. The council is honored to benefit from her expertise and help spread her knowledge and insights across the Tennessee Basin.

Bob Keast, a second-generation family owner of Birdsong Resort, Marina, and Campground, also joins the council. The property includes the Tennessee River Freshwater Pearl Museum and Farm, which cultivates pearls from washboard mussels native to the Tennessee River system. Bob has been involved in cultivating Tennessee pearls and investing in efforts to repopulate the native mussels.

Officers elected for the 2024-2025 term include:

• Board Chair Tami Reist, President & CEO, Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association
• Vice Chair Ferrin Rainey, Tourism Director at Tishomingo County Development Foundation and Tourism in Mississippi
• Treasurer Angie Pierce, Vice President, Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association
• Secretary Karin Landers, local entrepreneur and business owner

All directors and officers are highly active in their respective regions of the Tennessee River Basin. Each has spent years encouraging sustainable tourism-oriented economic development and advocating for innovative, productive partnerships among stakeholder groups interested in heritage preservation and local community livability-enhancement efforts. They are dedicated to commitments, concepts, and enterprises associated with geotourism, which is the fundamental component of the TRV Stewardship Council’s mission.

The Council is thrilled to welcome the new board members and looks forward to furthering its people-driven mission of protecting natural resources, promoting cultural and historical awareness, and building prosperous communities in the Tennessee River Valley.