Southern Ocean Chamber CEO honored with Freeholder Tourism Award April 19

SHIP BOTTOM, N.J. - April 4, 2018 - PRLog -- The Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission, in conjunction with Ocean County College and the Jay & Linda Grunin Foundation, will present the seventh annual Salute to Ocean County: A Celebration of Arts and Heritage on April 19, 2018. This event—which is free and open to the public—will honor Ocean County's outstanding cultural organizations, and recognize exceptional local artists, historians, preservationists, educators and leaders. Lori. A Pepenella, Chief Executive Officer of the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce. Under her direction, the century strong business organization which is located on Long Beach Island is one of two globally accredited Destination Marketing Organization in the state and has leveraged several grassroots marketing programs into economic drivers for hundreds of area businesses.

Pepenella was nominated and chosen by colleagues throughout the county, through the Ocean County Business & Tourism Advisory Board. In addition to serving on the county board since 2008, she has been recognized on a state and national level for initiative that have brought the Long Beach Island Region into the fore front for tourism leadership. The Ocean County Tourism and Business Advisory Council was established by the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders to identify, promote and support Ocean County's tourism assets. In recent years, the council created an annual award in the name of the tourism liaison, Freeholder JOSEPH H. VICARI, to recognize an individual or organization who significantly contributed to the growth of tourism in Ocean County.

The event, to be held at the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts at Ocean County College, will begin with a dessert reception at 6:00 PM on April 19, 2018.