Committee Members
TPDF Committee members are appointed by the Buncombe County TDA. A majority of the nine-member committee must be held by lodging representatives. Committee members can serve one partial and two full terms. Scroll down for information on applying to serve as a member.
Ken Stamps – Chair
Navitat Canopy Adventures & Adventure Pisgah
Tourism Appointment
Jay Curwen
Nantahala Outdoor Center
Tourism Appointment
Brenda Durden
Asheville Hotel Group
Lodging Appointment & BCTDA Liaison
Fielding Lowe
Park National Bank
Finance Appointment
David McCartney
Aloft Asheville Downtown
Lodging Appointment
Candidates Sought to Join the TPDF Committee
Currently, there are four vacancies on the committee; however, the deadline for applying was January 7, 2022. If you wish to be considered for future openings, please review the information below and submit your statement of interest with a request that it be held for future potential opportunities.
Overview
The Buncombe County TDA is seeking candidates to serve on the nine-member Tourism Product Development Fund Committee. This group makes recommendations to the BCTDA for funding projects that will generate new room nights for lodging facilities in Buncombe County, as mandated by state legislation.
Past recipients of grant funds through the TPDF grant program include the recently completed River Arts District transportation improvement project, which encompasses greenways, sidewalks, public art, parking, bike lanes and landscaping. Others range from family attractions like the WNC Nature Center and Pack Square Park, to the arts such as Asheville Art Museum and Montfort Park Players, to sports and recreation including the Enka Center Ballfields and John B. Lewis Soccer Complex, to culture and heritage such as the WNC Farmers Market and the African American Heritage Trail, now under development.
Committee Member Roles & Responsibilities
In assessing applications for TPDF grants, Committee members must have a thorough understanding of the grant requirements as mandated by the legislation and are responsible for upholding the priorities of the BCTDA. Grant requirements and scoring criteria are included in a TPDF Program Guide, which members use to determine if a project satisfies program requirements. Committee members are expected to maintain an unbiased position and refrain from communications or meetings with applicants throughout the review process.
Time Commitment
Committee members serve a term that consists of three funding cycles spanning a minimum of three years. Members may serve no more than two consecutive terms.
A typical funding cycle includes a series of committee meetings:
- Phase I Review
- Phase II Review & Project Presentations
- Site Visits
- Final Review
Committee members are required to attend each meeting and should expect to actively participate in group discussion. Meetings range from three to eight hours in length and require substantial preparation, to include reviewing lengthy application documents with financials, marketing plans and feasibility studies. Committee members may also be asked to attend other meetings outside of the grant cycle to assess project issues as they arise.
Other Requirements
A majority of the members of the Committee must be persons who are owners or operators of hotels, motels or other taxable lodging accommodations. The remainder of the committee shall be comprised of representatives with tourism, legal or financial expertise. The BCTDA is currently seeking candidates representing lodging, tourism, or legal expertise to fill four vacancies.
To Apply
Please note: The deadline for applications for current openings was January 7, 2022. If you wish to be considered for future openings, please submit your statement of interest, with a request that it be filed for future potential opportunities, to:
Pat Kappes, VP of Community Engagement
Explore Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau
pkappes@ExploreAsheville.com
27 College Place
Asheville, NC 28801