SU's Staffeldt Named Wicomico Hospitality Person of the Year

SALISBURY, MD---This summer, thousands of students, athletes, singers, business leaders and others will visit Salisbury University, attending camps, conferences, corporate meetings and more.

Whether they know it or not, they will be there because of Lesley Staffeldt. As SU’s conference services director, Staffeldt oversees the scheduling of non-SU events on campus, from large-scale conferences to intimate wedding receptions. She and her office are responsible for everything from reserving rooms to helping to coordinate with other areas for food, technical needs, housekeeping and other services.

And she does it all with a smile.

For the number of visitors she helps bring to the area in this role, Staffeldt recently was named the Wicomico County Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism’s 2014 Hospitality Person of the Year.

“Our community is blessed with energetic, public-spirited individuals who always go the extra mile to create and promote a strong economic climate where businesses can flourish and people can be happy with our exceptional quality of life,” said Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt, who praised this year’s honorees, including Staffeldt. “It is a pleasure to recognize and thank these outstanding citizens.”

Out-of-area visitors to SU and other regional facilities often purchase food and fuel in the area, and stay at local hotels. All this adds up to a significant contribution to the county’s economy.

According to SU’s Business Economic and Community Outreach Network (BEACON), each tourism dollar spent in the area is multiplied up to five times. These “economic ripples” take into account jobs created and retained, and goods and services paid for with those tourism dollars.

Groups at SU this summer include the Barbershop Harmony Society, Maryland American Legion Auxiliary Girls State, Maryland Summer Center for the Arts, Maryland Army National Guard 229th Army Band, MOVE – Christ in Youth, the National Aquarium, the Maryland Department of Education, Maryland DeMolay and multiple youth sports camps.

For more information call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU website at www.salisbury.edu.