David Rotenizer was named executive director of the Montgomery County Blacksburg Christiansburg Regional Tourism Office on Nov. 9, 2021.
“After conducting a search for someone to spearhead our regional tourism program that yielded several great candidates, David was selected to fill the position and continue the great work our regional tourism office has been doing for the past several years,” said Montgomery County Administrator Craig Meadows. “David has a lot of related industry experience, and we are fortunate to have him leading our tourism program.”
As executive director of the regional tourism program, Rotenizer will report to the Blacksburg town manager, the Christiansburg town manager, and the Montgomery County administrator. He will be responsible for managing and initiating programs that foster and support tourism initiatives throughout both towns and the county, working closely with the Montgomery County Tourism Board.
“This is home. I was born in Radford, grew up in Blacksburg, and Montgomery County has always held a special place in my heart and soul,” said Rotenizer. “I’ve seen the great work that has been done by my predecessor with the regional tourism program. I welcome this opportunity to pick up where she left off and continue the great work to both support and grow the tourism industry in our community.”
Prior to joining Montgomery County, Rotenizer worked for Franklin County as the director of tourism with the Office of Economic Development. Prior to that Rotenizer worked for West Virginia State University as an extension agent in community development with specialization in historic preservation and tourism development in partnership with the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority, serving Raleigh County and the City of Beckley. He served as the first Director of Tourism for both the Carroll County Office of Tourism and the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation.
In addition to tourism, Rotenizer has a rich background in community development and historic preservation, including ethnography and archaeology. From 2009-2013, he served as the site manager for the Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex, a historic site, museum, and collections management facility under the auspices of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Rotenizer served as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the Carroll County Office of Economic and Educational Development and served as a PreserveWV AmeriCorps supervisor through the National Coal Heritage Area and the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia.
The new regional tourism director is no stranger to Montgomery County. Earlier in his career, Rotenizer served as the Director of Environmental Conservation, assisting with the development and launch of the annual Broom’ & Bloomin’ and Keep the New River New Clean environmental campaigns, as well as the development of a county recycling program that included glass, aluminum, and used motor oil. He promoted Operation Waste Watch, a K-12 environmental curriculum and was sponsor of the Riner Archaeology and Ecology Club.
Rotenizer is a board member of the West Piedmont Planning District Commission, the Blue Ridge Parkway Association, the Virginia Association of Destination Marketing Organizations, the Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail, and Habitat for Humanity of Franklin County.
Previously, he was board member of the Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Foundation, the Blue Ridge Travel Association, ‘Round the Mountain: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Network, the Carroll County Historical Society, the New River Historical Society and Archeological Society of Virginia, and was a charter board member of the Montgomery Museum and Lewis Miller Regional Art Center and the New River Valley Preservation League.
Rotenizer is a graduate of Radford University with a bachelor’s degree in general studies with a concentration in Appalachian heritage resources. He has completed coursework in anthropology and Appalachian studies and general studies from New River Community College. He is also a graduate of the Marketing College of the Southeast Tourism Society.
