Perry CVB name Nastasha “Anya” Edgley-Turpin finalist for President/CEO

The Perry Convention and Visitors Bureau has announced Nastasha “Anya” Edgley-Turpin as the finalist for the President and Chief Executive Officer position. The announcement was made this week by Mike Baker, Chair of the organization and a Sales Engineer for Hargray in Perry.

Edgley-Turpin will be voted upon by the Board of the Perry CVB after the required 14-day waiting period as specified in Georgia law for public agencies. If approved, her first day in the position is scheduled for March 1.

“Anya and her family have been a part of the City of Perry for the past four years,” Baker said. “She brings a wealth of information and experience to the CVB position. She has served in tourism leadership roles in other states, which was a factor in our selection process.”

Edgley-Turpin currently serves as Special Events Administrator for the City of Perry. She has been an integral part of planning and executing an average of over 40 events annually that reflect the mission of the city’s strategic plan. Another key aspect of her current position has been the generation of social media content, website development, print marketing, and managing media relations pertaining to special events.

Prior to arriving in Perry, Edgley-Turpin was the Executive Director of the Grayson County Tourism in Leitchfield, Kentucky. Her responsibilities in Grayson County included the operations of the Welcome Center and an adjacent event venue.

“The opportunity to serve and represent the Perry community in the tourism industry is extremely exciting for me,” according to Edgley-Turpin. “I look forward to building meaningful relationships with the hoteliers in our area and continue my current rapport with venues and businesses. Perry has a fantastic infrastructure already in place for tourism that has so many possibilities for the future.”

Edgley-Turpin is married to Corey Turpin. Their son, Jack, is nine years old and attends Tucker Elementary School in Perry.

“The Search Committee spent a tremendous amount of time vetting candidates, their visions for Perry, and their long-term commitment to being a part of a CVB,” Baker stated. “Tourism requires creativity in many aspects, including a keen sense of what works for special events and the general tourist looking for attractions in the area. The president should understand how to identify and promote the relevancy of tourism; have a desire to learn new trends in the industry; have experience in building a brand and re-branding as necessary; and possess communication skills that lend themselves to cultivating teams and partnerships. The Search Committee voted unanimously to select Anya because we believe she has all of these traits and more.”

Other recognitions for Edgley-Turpin include her work to secure three consecutive years of grants from the Georgia Council for the Arts for the Perry International Festival; a graduate of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development program led by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia; a 2021 graduate of the Perry Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program; and a 2018 graduate of the Grayson County, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program.

The Perry CVB, created by the Georgia General Assembly in 1990, is the Destination Marketing Organization for the city. Led by a city appointed Board of Directors and funded by hotel / motel tax, the organization is focused on growing the number of visitors to the area.

In addition to Baker, other members of the Search Committee included Megan Brent, Owner/Operator, The Perfect Pear Catering; Trish Cossart, Owner/Operator, Cossart Design; Heather Kellen, Human Resources Director/Project Manager, Bran Hospitality/Ambryo; Chris Patel, Owner/Operator, America’s Best Value Inn; Stephen Shimp, Executive Director, Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter; and Robert Smith, Assistant City Manager, City of Perry.

The search process was divided into three segments. The first phase included conversations with various stakeholders in the area and listening to their thoughts on character traits required of the next leader. The second segment focused on identifying candidates who met the Search Committee’s criteria through a nationwide search. Finally, the committee initiated a vetting process that included a detailed application and in-person interviews to learn more about the most qualified candidates.

The Perry CVB retained The Chason Group (www.thechasongroup.com), a search firm specializing in senior level executive searches for convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, and economic development organizations, to lead the process.

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