Michael Wambolt

After a monthslong, nationwide search, the Park County Travel Council has a new executive director.

The county’s marketing arm, which operates as Cody Yellowstone, announced Wednesday that it has hired Michael Wambolt. A veteran of the travel and hospitality industry, Wambolt had most recently been working in a similar role, promoting a coastal city in central California.

“We are thrilled to welcome Michael Wambolt to Cody,” John Parsons, chairman of the Travel Council’s board of directors, said in a statement. “He is a travel industry veteran with a wealth of experience who is eager to experience the rich outdoor recreational offerings of our destination. We think he’s going to be a terrific fit for Cody Yellowstone.”

Wambolt is set to officially start his new role on April 1, after he and his wife relocate to Cody. However, he may get a bit of head start next month by attending the Wyoming Governor’s Hospitality & Tourism Convention in Cheyenne.

Wambolt got his start in hospitality as a site representative for tour operator Contiki Holidays, with responsibilities in Amsterdam, Paris and Austria. Wambolt later directed sales at a SpringHill Suites by Marriott and the Sea Ocean Front Hotel in Atascadero and Pismo Beach, California, respectively. He also oversaw lodging sales for the nonprofit destination marketing organization that promotes San Luis Obispo County, California, before becoming the executive director of Visit Morro Bay in 2021. Morro Bay is similar in size to Cody, with a population of about 10,600.

“As an avid outdoorsman,” Wambolt said, “I am beyond excited to promote Cody Yellowstone with its rich history, authentic Western atmosphere, world-class attractions and seemingly endless outdoor recreation.”

Park County’s executive director role has been vacant since early July, when Ryan Hauck left for a similar role in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Finding a replacement took longer than initially expected, but council members felt it was more important to hire the right person; Marketing Manager Katrina Southern took on much of the slack in the interim.

The Travel Council apparently voted to hire Wambolt at their December meeting, but did not publicly announce his name until Wednesday’s news release.

At the council’s Jan. 15 meeting, Parsons said the release was pretty much ready to go, but they were “just respecting some privacy” as their hire transitioned out of his previous role.

“We don’t want to put our candidate’s board in the unenviable position that we found ourselves in thanks to the Fayetteville Register, Telegraph or whatever they’re called,” added council member Q Blair.

Back in the spring, the council was caught by surprise when the Fayetteville Flyer reported that Hauck had been offered the job to lead Fayetteville’s marketing and tourism arm. Hauck hadn’t accepted the offer at the time, but decided to take the higher-paying role days later. He had led the Park County Travel Council since 2021, replacing Claudia Wade, who had run the council since its establishment in the mid-1980s.

In its recent director search, Parsons said the Park County Travel Council advertised a salary range of $125,000 to $170,000. The council is funded by lodging tax collections within Park County, including the northern portion of Yellowstone National Park.