Andrew Forrester ’11 was recently hired as the new executive tourism director of Visit Madison, Inc. (VMI), the destination marketing and management organization for the City of Madison and Jefferson County area.
As executive tourism director, Forrester will be responsible for overseeing daily operations of the VMI visitors center, working directly with the board on policy-making, organization strategies, and community leadership; networking with tourism partners; strategic direction with VMI departments (i.e., marketing, events) and product development.
“I am excited for this opportunity to lead Visit Madison’s talented tourism team,” Forrester said in a news release. “I am ecstatic about returning home to serve Madison in this capacity, while bringing the knowledge and experience I’ve gained working with local officials from across Indiana. I love promoting and sharing Madison with the world and I look forward to working with the Visit Madison Board, Jefferson County Board of Tourism, City and County elected officials, community & economic development leaders, and business owners to promote Madison/Jefferson County as a world-class destination for a day, a week, or a lifetime.”
Forrester is currently Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, a position he’s had since September 2019. Prior to that, he served as Community Relations Director under Madison Mayor Damon Welch from 2012 to 2019.
As Forrester makes his transition back to Madison, Indiana, in the coming weeks, an official start date as the new executive tourism director will be determined.
Forrester earned a Master of Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2015 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Wabash College in 2011. While at Wabash, he was an independent, a member of Glee Club, Student Senate, and the Yearbook, and worked at the WNDY Radio Station.
