Evers appoints Wisconsin tourism secretary
Anne Sayers
MADISON, Wis. - Gov. Tony Evers on Thursday, Sept. 2 announced he is appointing Anne Sayers to serve as secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.
Secretary-designee Sayers has been leading the agency as the interim secretary since former Secretary-designee Sara Meaney’s departure.
"Secretary-designee Sayers has done an excellent job over the last nine months leading the department through a difficult transition as we got shots in arms and Wisconsin began welcoming travelers and visitors back to our state," Evers said in a news release. "With the help of Anne’s steadfast dedication to Wisconsin’s travel and tourism industry, our businesses, workers, and communities are bouncing back and I look forward to her continued leadership."
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Prior to serving as acting secretary, Sayers served as the deputy secretary at the department since 2019. She earned degrees in international relations and geography, as well as a certificate of environmental studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
In January 2021, Sayers was recognized as one of the "Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing and Revenue Optimization" by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International. Sayers sits on the board of directors for Taliesin Preservation, UW-Madison's Nelson Institute and Wisconsin State Fair Park.
"I am truly honored and humbled to be appointed by Gov. Tony Evers to serve Wisconsin as secretary of the Department of Tourism," Sayers said in the news release. "Providing steady leadership remains my focus as the tourism industry continues to persevere through this pandemic. I will work day in and day out to help Wisconsin’s tourism industry bounce back stronger, encouraging more travelers to experience the unexpected in Wisconsin."
Sayers started her career in hospitality, serving up food and beverages in a hotel and coffee shops which shaped her appreciation of frontline hospitality workers and her commitment to the tourism industry as a whole.
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