September 2022 - Steven Schumacher

Steven Schumacher - Executive Director at Cartersville-Bartow County and MPI Georgia VP of Education

Happy Football Season, MPI Georgia Members!

Speaking to y’all this month comes at the perfect time in my career, as I have officially moved on from my six years as the Director of Sales with Discover Dunwoody and, more recently, as the Senior Sales Manager with the Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center. As of this week, I am now the new President and CEO of the Cartersville-Bartow County CVB. I could not be more excited to rejoin the destination marketing world in supporting tourism in Georgia.

I remember my first visit to a chapter networking event (ironically in Dunwoody) and how nervous I was. As a new resident of Georgia, just having moved here from CT and not knowing anyone, a few members quickly swooped in to say hello and introduced me to everyone. To this day, Andy, Jeff, and Larry are still the guys who helped start my journey with this incredible chapter. To this day, I try to find someone at every event we host and connect them with our chapter members, hopefully finding a way to inspire the next generation of future chapter leaders!

Soon after, serving on the Board of Directors as the VP of Finance and the VP of Membership, I stepped back after having our first daughter, Quinn, into the Co-Chair of Networking Events with my partner in crime, Megan, winning a Phoenix Award along the way in 2019.

Board service came calling again when Megan and I felt the volunteer bug again with Educational Luncheons, where I now serve as the VP of Education, just a few weeks after co-emceeing the 2022 Phoenix Awards with MPI Georgia legend Lance Hornecker.

I detail my history in this chapter to show how important it is to take that next step.   Always challenge yourself, even if it’s a jump into the great unknown. Being a part of something like MPI Georgia, this family always looks out for each other and will become part of your identity in this industry forever. It has certainly helped me along the way and I will always be grateful for moment almost a decade ago.

I look forward to the next chapter in my career in Cartersville-Bartow County, and I am thrilled to share that journey, side by side, with all of you!