Have a question about visiting Council Bluffs, a correction for our website, or just want to say hello? We'd love to hear from you. Our general contact details are below along with a general form.
Know who you want to reach? Use the staff contact details on the right. Talk to you soon!
Council Bluffs Convention & Visitors Bureau
509 23rd Ave.
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
844.271.6909 (toll-free)
712.256.2577 (local)
info@unleashcb.com
Duties
Mark leads the UNstoppable CBCVB team with responsibilities involving strategic planning, financial management, staff supervision, as well as local and regional partnership development. Not to mention, he educates area stakeholders on how much visitors contribute to local businesses and local government with more than $300 million in travel expenditures spent annually in Pottawattamie County.Biography
Mark was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and eventually moved to the Okoboji, Iowa area. There he graduated with his high school diploma and was first introduced to working in the travel industry. Through that, he learned about the impact of tourism by working at businesses entirely dependent on travelers such as restaurants and local accommodations.
He received a bachelor’s degree in journalism/public relations with a minor in business from the University of Iowa. In his first post-college position, he led the Villages of Van Buren, Inc. which promoted rural Van Buren County as a travel destination. The organization launched Bike Van Buren and the Van Buren County Scenic Drive which continue to occur more than 30 years later. After three and a half years, he became the group travel manager for the Iowa Tourism Office. His position and responsibilities evolved over the next 16 years and involved ag tourism, international travel promotion, advertising creation/placement, partnership development, and event planning. Next, Mark returned to southeast Iowa to lead the Ottumwa Area Convention & Visitors Bureau for four and a half years and during that time landed the opportunity for Ottumwa to host the Iowa Tourism Conference for the first time. On December 1, 2014, he assumed the role of CBCVB executive director. During his tenure, the Council Bluffs CVB has been recognized for its website and social media efforts and was named outstanding community of the year by Iowa Tourism.
In his free time, Mark likes to travel to see friends and relatives, including his sister’s family in the Twin Cities and his brother’s son and daughter in North Carolina. As an Iowa grad, he is a big Hawkeye fan and gets to a home football game once a year. His favorite professional football team is the San Francisco 49ers, but he also roots for the Vikings, Chiefs, and Bears. Concerts and theater are other favorite past times along with reading biographies.
Duties
To event planners, Scott brings UNbeatable passion and experience in selling Council Bluffs as an ideal location for meetings, conventions, and tournaments. What’s more, he possesses UNmatched attention to detail and an UNequaled ability in building relationships that make CB the planner’s best choice.Biography
Scott was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and has stayed close to home ever since. In high school, Scott started in the food and beverage/hospitality industry in the Omaha metro area until the Kanesville Queen arrived in Council Bluffs. In the fall of 1997, Scott began his career in the world of gaming and extensive food and beverage at the casinos. Soon, Council Bluffs became a second home and Scott became involved in the community, finding the people warm and welcoming. Community Involvement came quite easily, as giving back just seemed the natural thing to do.
Over the past couple of decades, Scott has been involved volunteering for Iowa Western Community College, the Bluffs Arts Council, MICAH House, Celebrate CB, Jennie Edmundson’s Spirit of Courage, and the Midlands Humane Society to name a few. Scott is currently on the Board of the Union Pacific Museum as well as staying connected with some of the previously mentioned organizations. Scott has been fortunate to work in the community at places including Harveys, Harrah’s, STIR Cove, Horseshoe, the Mid-America Center, and most recently, Ameristar Casino and Hotel as the executive sales manager. Staying so involved in the community, it just made sense for him to take on this new role with the Council Bluffs Convention & Visitors Bureau to help 'Bring it to CB', which he has been doing and enjoying for years.
Outside of work, Scott enjoys all things outdoors, especially with his two Labrador retrievers, Buff and CoCo, by his side. He also enjoys spending time with his family and friends.
Duties
As associate director of content, Emma creates and manages the exciting content you consume on UNleashCB.com and the Council Bluffs Convention & Visitor Bureau’s social media pages. She promotes Council Bluffs and shares things to do in the city and Pottawattamie County through web and social media copy, blogs, photos, and videos.Biography
Emma was proudly born and raised here in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She spent the majority of her childhood exploring the breathtaking Loess Hills with her family. She graduated from Lewis Central High School and continued her education at Iowa State University where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary design.
During her time in Ames, Emma managed a photo scanning and printing business that was located in the Main Street Cultural District. Here she found that she was very passionate about photographs, specifically the stories and people behind them. As the content coordinator, Emma is here to share the story of Council Bluffs by highlighting the city’s UNbelievable destinations, and UNforgettable people.
When she isn’t promoting the great city of Council Bluffs, you can find Emma creating art in her studio, gardening with her husband, or cuddled up listening to podcasts with her two mischievous cats, Otis and Henry.
