By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The new director of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau is just finishing her second full week on the job and she used the time getting to know the CVB staff.

Melissa Dixon formally introduced herself to Hays City Commissioners Thursday night during their work session.

Dixon most recently was the assistant director of digital marketing at Fort Hays State University. She moved to Hays with her husband Dr. P. Grady Dixon, an associate professor and the chairman of the FHSU Geosciences Department.

Prior to her employment with FHSU, Dixon was for nine years the owner and creative director of Blufish Design, a full service design studio and marketing agency in Starkville, Miss. One of her main clients was the local CVB, chamber of commerce, economic development partnership. “That past experience really led me to want to pursue this CVB position,” Dixon explained.

“Everybody wishes for more hours in the day and that’s absolutely what we got when we moved to Hays,” Dixon joked. “We came from a similar-sized town but we still had a commute. We’re absolutely sold on the community and we love the schools.” The Dixons have two children who attend Lincoln Elementary School.

“I’m thrilled to market Hays and pursue tourism, and I’m excited to work with all of you,” Dixon told the city commissioners.

While in Starkville, Dixon served on the advisory boards for the Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitor Bureau, the Main Street Association and the Greater Starkville Development Partnership.

Dixon holds a bachelor’s of fine arts with an emphasis in graphic design from Mississippi State University.

She replaces Rick Rekoske who resigned as the CVB Director Sept. 2.