Kelly Wolgamott to lead Pure Michigan

Kelly Wolgamott, who has served as interim vice president of Tourism Michigan since January, has been officially appointed to the position, with her title upgraded to vice president of Pure Michigan, a campaign to promote Michigan as a tourist destination. The campaign is managed by Tourism Michigan, a division of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).

Wolgamot joined the Michigan Tourism Corporation and MEDC in 2011 as director of tourism marketing until she accepted the interim position late last year following the retirement of former vice president Dave Lorenz. Prior to joining MEDC, she held marketing and public relations positions at General Motors and Leo Burnett Global Advertising Agency.

In a letter to industry leaders, MEDC Chief Growth and Marketing Officer Hilary Doe said the new name is “intended to reflect the iconic status of our state’s premier campaign.”

“Through her years of dedication, extensive industry knowledge and marketing prowess, Kelly has proven that her talents and expertise are invaluable in leading Michigan’s efforts to promote our state as a top four-season destination for travelers from across the nation and around the world,” Doe said.

Wolgamot, who has worked on the Pure Michigan campaign for 13 years, said she is planning for next year and 2026, when Pure Michigan will mark its 20th anniversary. “We are fine-tuning the goals and objectives of the campaign and the state and looking at how to stay relevant to our target audience,” she said. “Travel is constantly changing and evolving like everything else in life. By leveraging the research we have at hand, we connect with that audience and show how Michigan is different than any other travel destination in the world. … That’s really what I’m focused on — how can we continue to make progress with the Pure Michigan campaign?”

Wolgamot said her team is committed to strengthening the Pure Michigan website with its trip planning tool. The campaign will continue to focus on accessibility and inclusion, and its Partner/Cooperative Program, which provides a one-to-one funding match to run promotional campaigns with destination marketing organizations across the state, is expanding. “This is a great opportunity for us to have a unified voice across the state through the Pure Michigan campaign while highlighting our destination through the Cooperative Program,” Wolgamot noted. “We are working hard to provide meaningful marketing and research opportunities for our partners. They can participate in the Pure Michigan campaign through a variety of marketing platforms, from programmatic digital displays to social media, connected TV to video production.”

Meanwhile, if she hadn’t quite bought into the Pure Michigan campaign’s message, Wolgamot completed the Mackinac Bridge Swim last summer. The swim, which covers about 4.5 miles from Mackinaw City to St. Ignace, is an annual event that raises money for first responders in both cities. She trained for 10 months in the pool and in the open water. Finally, she swam for about three hours through rough waves next to the Mackinac Bridge in the Straits of Mackinac, using the towering tower as a beacon. The experience, she said, made her realize once again what makes Michigan special.

“It’s probably the most beautiful and difficult thing I’ve ever done,” she said. “How many people can stand on the edge of the bridge and swim across it? It was an incredible day.

“So what is the most iconic representation of our state? The Mackinac Bridge,” Wolgamot continued. “I have always had a deep appreciation for the beauty of our two peninsulas – from the heart of our cities to the remote areas of our forests and water. After all the training and experiencing the Mackinac Bridge from a unique and new perspective, I find that I am still inspired by the magic of our state. I always knew – I was born and raised here – that I wanted to continue sharing Michigan with the world.”

MEDC also announced the appointment of Carrie Jones Grace as Senior Vice President of Tourism, Media and Industry Relations. Grace will be responsible for managing the Michigan Tourism team as well as the Michigan Film Office and MEDC communications staff. Most recently, she served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. Prior to this, she served as Executive Director of the Michigan Venture Capital Association and previously served as Michigan Film Commissioner and Director.

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