County names Pigott new executive director of Visitor & Convention Bureau

On Monday, Lee County government announced Tamara Pigott its new executive director of the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) to lead the local tourism industry. Her appointment is immediate.
County Manager Karen Hawes said the county found its successful candidate in its interim director, who has been managing the bureau since December. “Tam was one of two applicants that the representative industry panel selected to move forward in the interview process,” Hawes said. “She has the knowledge and experience to move the bureau forward.”
Pigott was hired at the VCB in 2000 as Beach & Shoreline Program manager to oversee funds for improvement projects along the more than 50 miles of beaches and 1,000 miles of inland shorelines that attract millions of visitors to southwest Florida. While managing the usage of the funds by government and community organizations, she monitored capital projects, budget, planning and construction and other government and community agencies in the process. She was responsible for the development of a water quality awareness campaign and Web site, which won a national Destiny Award.
In 2006, Pigott was promoted to deputy director to manage administration and visitor services at the VCB. In her interim role, she has been responsible for all aspects of bureau operations and management.
A 1988 graduate of Florida State University, Pigott holds a bachelor’s of science degree in economics and political science and a master’s of science degree in political science. Her experience includes work as a research analyst and vice-president of local research companies, and fiscal officer with the Lee County Library System, where she was hired in 1993.
Pigott and her family live in Fort Myers.
Tourism is a $2.9 billion-a-year industry here and is the No. 1 employer in Lee County with more than 43,000 employed directly in the industry.