Former Tall Ship Captain of Amistad Is Featured Speaker Packer Country Tourism Luncheon May 3
GREEN BAY, Wis.
May 3, 2005

GREEN BAY, Wis. (May 3, 2005) – The Packer Country Visitor and Convention Bureau today welcomed Captain Bill Pinkney as guest speaker for the annual Packer Country Tourism Luncheon May 3, 2005, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., at Howard Johnson Inn and Conference Center, 2580 S. Ashland Street.

Cpt. Pinkney, a former executive at Fortune 500 and ASE companies, became the first African American to sail solo around the world in 1992. Originally from Chicago, Pinkney made his boyhood sailing dream a reality, and his story became an award-winning TV program narrated by Bill Cosby.

Pinkney is also the former Master of the recreated freedom schooner Amistad, and delivers a powerful message about the struggle for human rights based on events that have become known as the Amistad Incident of 1839. These events changed the Human Rights Policy of the United States.

The Packer Country Visitor and Convention Bureau has partnered with other local agencies for the past four years to organize historic Tall Ship events which have drawn thousands to downtown Green Bay, including the Baylake Bank Tall Ship Festival in July 2004. The group is now working on plans for a large-scale Tall Ships festival for July 2006 in Downtown Green Bay, which would attract 14-18 historic ships to the port for a four-day nautical festival.

Although Pinkney’s ship, Amistad, has not been to Green Bay’s port, the schooner sailed throughout the Great Lakes with Pinkney at the helm from 2000 to 2003.

“Green Bay’s Tall Ship events have been very positive for tourism in the past and serve as a reminder that Green Bay is an international port city,” said Kari Sliva, President and CEO of the Packer Country Visitor and Convention Bureau. “Visitors have enjoyed coming down to Green Bay’s riverfront and connecting with our maritime heritage. Each of these incredible ships tells a fascinating story that’s educational in and of itself. Families and couples and individuals leave our Tall Ship events with an experience they will never forget.”

Amistad is one vessel comprising a fleet of 230 ships that sail around the world participating in a wide variety of races at sea and port events in association with the American Sail Training Association (ASTA).

The Packer Country Visitor and Convention Bureau has utilized the tagline “Sports & Ports” since 2001 in a wide variety of promotions to attract visitors to the region.

For more official tourism information on the Green Bay Area and Lakeshore communities, visit www.packercountry.com.

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Packer Country Visitor & Convention Bureau is the regional destination marketing organization committed to improving the visitor experience and increasing the economic impact of tourism to its communities. For more information call 888-867-3342 or visit us online at www.packercountry.com.