Less than two months after Jim Pilgrim resigned as the executive director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau the CVB has found a replacement.

“I’m really excited about it,” said Jill Slette, who will start today at the CVB. “There is a lot of opportunity for growth in Albert Lea and I think the position will allow me to take part in that growth.”

Slette, a resident of Walters, is leaving her position as a marketing consultant at the Austin Daily Herald to pursue the CVB position.

Slette also had previous marketing experience as well as event coordination experience from a previous job as an event coordinator at the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, another newspaper.

Kevin Bishop, a CVB board member, was on the selection committee for filling the position.

“We received 26 applications and a lot of well qualified people applied,” Bishop said. “We hired Jill because we feel she will bring a lot of energy and excitement to our organization. We also really liked her strong background in organizing community events.”

Bishop said that the 26 applicants was more than expected and says a lot for our community. Applicants were not just central to the Albert Lea area but many came from throughout the state and the Midwest region, according to Bishop.

Slette said she is very excited to make the shift into to her new position and said she will be happy to focus more on her strong qualities.

“I enjoy working with the public,” she said. “I will be doing the same type of work in coordinating and marketing Albert Lea that I have done in my other positions. I think my marketing experience will be a valuable asset to me in my new position as well.”