Meeting Minutes 09/09/2025

Nebraska Tourism Commission
Special Meeting
9/9/2025
Physical location: 1526 K Street – 2nd Floor Buffalo Room, Lincoln, NE 68508
Virtual: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87490641427

Commission Chair Robert Sabin called the meeting to order at 10:04am.

Commissioners present in physical location: John Chapo, Roger Kuhn, Robert Sabin

Commissioners present virtually: Darrin Barner, Courtney Dentlinger, David Fudge, Deb Kelly, Rachel Kreikemeier, Maureen Larsen, Barry McFarland, Ashley Olson, Paul Younes

Commissioners absent: David Wolf

Commission staff present: Jenna Bartja, Micheal Collins, Jenn Gjerde, Heather Hogue, Madison Johnson, Ben Jones, Alisha Simonson, Lilly Uhlmann

Roger Kuhn motioned to enter a closed session to discuss job performance of a Commission employee at 10:07am. Motion seconded by John Chapo.

Roll call vote – Commissioners in favor: Barner, Chapo, Dentlinger, Fudge, Kelly, Kuhn, Kreikemeier, Larsen, Olson, Sabin, Younes. Opposed: none. Abstain: none. Not present: Mcfarland, Wolf. Motion carried with 11 in favor, 2 not present, none opposed.

Roger Kuhn motioned to exit closed session and accept the resignation of the Executive Director at 10:17am. Deb Kelly seconded.
Roll call vote – Commissioners in favor: Barner, Chapo, Dentlinger, Fudge, Kelly, Kuhn, Kreikemeier, Larsen, McFarland, Olson, Sabin, Younes. Opposed: none. Abstain: none. Not present: Wolf. Motion carried with 12 in favor, 1 not present, none opposed.

Roger Kuhn motioned to enter into closed session to discuss a temporary solution to the position of executive director at 10:18am. Dentlinger seconded.

Roll call vote – Commissioners in favor: Barner, Chapo, Dentlinger, Fudge, Kelly, Kuhn, Kreikemeier, Larsen, McFarland, Olson, Sabin, Younes. Opposed: none. Abstain: none. Not present: Wolf. Motion carried with 12 in favor, 1 not present, none opposed.

Deb Kelly motioned to exit closed session and appoint Interim Director with current Deputy Director, Heather Hogue at 10:24am. Paul Younes seconded.

Discussion and process of national search to fill position of Executive Director. Commissioners discussed utilizing a contractor to provide an unbiased, aggregated collaboration of each Commissioner’s input and vision of the required skills and experience needed to fulfill the roll of Executive Director for the Commission. Discussion of costs involved during a difficult budget year. Contractor GlobalMind Solutions can perform the service at the cost of $7,500. This service would not carry out the national search, but instead would gather input from each board member and form the plan to fill the position.

Paul Younes motioned to hire GlobalMind Solutions to formulate a collaborative process for the national search to fill the position at 10:43am. Roger Kuhn seconded.

Roll call vote – Commissioners in favor: Barner, Chapo, Dentlinger, Fudge, Kuhn, Olson, Sabin, Younes. Opposed: Kelly, Larsen. Abstain: none. Not present: Kreikemeier, McFarland, Wolf. Motion carried with 8 in favor, 2 opposed, 3 not present.

Robert Sabin requested commissioners who wish to serve on the hiring committee express their interest. Those interested include: David Fudge, Deb Kelly, Roger Kuhn, Maureen Larsen, Robert Sabin.

Robert Sabin opened public comment period for items listed on the agenda. With no members of the public coming forward, public comment period was closed.

Darrin Barner motioned to adjourn the meeting at 10:48am. David Fudge seconded. Roll call vote – Commissioners in favor: Barner, Chapo, Dentlinger, Fudge, Kelly, Kuhn, Larsen, Olson, Sabin, Younes. Opposed: none. Abstain: none. Not present: Kreikemeier, McFarland, Wolf. Motion carried with 10 in favor, 3 not present, none opposed.

Respectfully submitted by Heather Hogue.