Claude Bacon Elected Chair of Kentucky Travel Industry Association
GOEDC President & CEO brings Owensboro leadership to statewide stage
OWENSBORO, KY (November 7, 2025) – Tourism isn’t just fun and games; it’s serious economic development, and few understand that better than Claude Bacon, President and CEO of the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation (GOEDC) and current board chair of Visit Owensboro. Bacon has been elected to serve as the 2026 chair of the Kentucky Travel Industry Association (KTIA), bringing his Owensboro-area leadership and vision to the statewide stage. His election was officially recognized during the 2025 KTIA Annual Conference, held November 5–7 in Louisville.
Bacon has served on the KTIA board since 2020 and has progressed through leadership roles as Secretary in 2023, Treasurer in 2024, and Chair-elect in 2025. With years of experience promoting regional growth, he will now help guide Kentucky’s tourism sector as a driver of jobs, investment, and community vibrancy.
“Tourism plays a critical role in economic growth, and I look forward to working with colleagues across Kentucky to leverage our assets, create more meaningful visitor experiences, and expand opportunities for every region of the state,” Bacon said.
Jeff Noel, Secretary of Economic Development, said that Secretary Lindy Casebier of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet provides great leadership and that the proof of his and Governor Beshear’s work is evident in the consecutive years of annual growth the state has seen in tourism. “Tourism enhances placemaking and creates venues that make attracting and retaining talent easier for all employers, all while generating jobs and economic activity,” Noel said. “Tourism and economic development are interdependent, and Claude is a tremendous leader who knows how both areas must work seamlessly together.”
“Claude’s energy, relationship building skills and passion for Kentucky will serve the Commonwealth and KTIA well in the coming year,” shared Secretary Lindy Casebier of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet.
Hank Phillips, KTIA President and CEO, said Bacon’s professional background makes him perfectly suited for the role. “Claude’s experience in the hotel industry, his involvement with Visit Owensboro, and his service as local economic development president and CEO make him an ideal choice as KTIA’s 2026 board chairman,” Phillips said. “Beyond that, his insightful leadership skills will serve the association extremely well next year.”
Locally, the announcement was welcomed by Mark Calitri, President and CEO of Visit Owensboro. “Having Claude at the helm of KTIA means Owensboro’s voice is front and center in state tourism conversations,” Calitri said. “Our region has worked hard to elevate visitor experiences, create quality jobs, and foster destination growth, and now we have an advocate for those efforts across Kentucky.”
Before joining GOEDC, Bacon spent 16 years in the private sector with LinGate Hospitality, a hotel development, investment, and management company that franchises with Marriott, Hilton, and IHG. The company’s portfolio includes hotels in multiple states, including the Holiday Inn in downtown Owensboro.
In his leadership roles at GOEDC and Visit Owensboro, Bacon has emphasized that tourism isn’t separate from economic development; it is economic development. From lodging-tax revenue and hotel-occupancy gains to event attraction and visitor spending, the ripple effects of tourism fuel local business growth, support jobs, and enhance quality of life. Under Bacon’s leadership, KTIA and its statewide partners are poised to strengthen Kentucky’s position as a premier destination and deepen tourism’s role as a strategic pillar of the Commonwealth’s economy.
About the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation
The Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation (GOEDC) is committed to fostering economic growth by supporting entrepreneurship, business expansion, and workforce development.
About KTIA
Founded in 1980, the Kentucky Travel Industry Association (KTIA) is the Commonwealth’s only statewide organization representing the full spectrum of the travel and tourism industry. With more than 900 member organizations, including attractions, hotels, restaurants, marinas, tourism commissions, and supplier partners, KTIA serves as a unified voice for tourism’s vital role in Kentucky’s economy.
KTIA’s work is centered around four core pillars: advocacy, education, information, and business and professional development. The association is dedicated to advancing awareness of how visitor spending, lodging, events, and travel experiences drive job creation, community investment, and statewide economic growth.