MLAT's Chapman Delivering

Tina Chapman, Executive Director, Mille Lacs Tourism

Special Note: Make It Mille Lacs and Mille Lacs Area Tourism are partners.

Mille Lacs Lake is lucky to have Tina Chapman pulling for it.

She is the energetic, super-organized 47-year old executive director of Mille Lacs Area Tourism (MLAT).  She’s been in position just more than seven months since taking over for long-time director Judy Cain, who died last June after a long bout with cancer.

Chapman’s early report card is glowing.

“She’s brought us a great newsletter, grabbing the interest of many people,” said MLAT board member Craig Hagman, who has worked with Chapman since 1993 (she was treasurer from then to last year). “Just her ability to be very accurate and accountable is key.  She comes to us with great experience. It’s about putting heads in beds.”

So far, Chapman is fortifying MLAT’s leading position in both state and Midwestern tourism circles. To date, she’s slightly increased business membership around the lake.  She’s always busy with recruiting and retention, showing businesses why they should support MLAT.

“I really want to see everybody do well and things are coming around – people are really starting to work together,” said Chapman,  half-squinting as we peered out onto a snow-swept Cove Bay one recent morning to talk about her job. “We’re a destination vacation location geared toward family. ”

With some prodding, Chapman described an average day at our request.  It might align with the hours of a dairy farmer or active duty military member. That is, early to rise and work. And work.  All day and often into the evening.

Since MLAT moved its headquarters from a storefront next to Johnson’s Portside on Highway 47 to the Chapman Resort office (which she and husband, Tim, own), she’s been spending a lot of time at there. MLAT made the move to save money and focus on internet marketing.  Armed with computers, cell phones, landlines, faxes, some brochures, vacation planners and maps, Chapman has any drop-in or online vacationer covered.

She hits her home-office work station at 0630, answering emails, working on lead lists and managing correspondence. Then there are conference calls.  She deals with marketers and agreements. She stops to answer one man’s questions about where to rent a fish house.  With it being year-end she was focused on payroll, tax documents, W-2s and year-end reports for tourism as well.

And that was just the morning.  She also attends workshops; regional and state conferences; and devotes a huge portion of her time on the MLAT website – the crown jewel of the organization.  “Tim (her husband) thought I was crazy when I wanted to do this,” said Chapman, who is also the CEO of the Mille Lacs Drift Skippers Snowmobile Club.  “But it sort of becomes your baby and you get protective of it.”

Not one to seek the limelight, Chapman said she’s had a bevy of help from an able cast of board members and active voices at MLAT.  While the recession put nearly every Mille Lacs business on notice, there are current signs that the worst is over and the economy is starting to warm.

Despite her workload, Chapman's commitment to area businesses and people are obvious.  She's never too busy to give you a smile and some great advice about Mille Lacs Lake.