Carol Richie

Carol has been an active traveling cooking Instructor for over 25 years and host of "Cookin’ with Carol"—a 2001 James Beard Foundation Award Nominee for “Best Local Television Cooking Show.” Carol is also a recipe developer, culinary consultant, and spokesperson, appearing on national television including CBS' Chef on a Shoestring, PBS Healthweek, QVC Home Shopping Network, and Cooking Live (Food Network). Carol is one of the recipe developers and volunteer spokesperson for the American Heart Association cookbooks. Her newest project Whisk Movement Cookin' with Carol is designed to connect generations and help pass on the traditions of cooking.

Chef Jimmy Hill

Chef Hill was born in Muskegon Heights, Michigan. He attended Ferris State University where he received his Culinary Education in Food Service Management/Hotel Motel Restaurant. After working for several restaurants, Chef Hill joined the State of Michigan, Department of Corrections in 1985 as a Food Service Supervisor and then transferred to Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater, Michigan in 1989 where he took over The Food Service Hospitality Management Program and has been there for the last 30 years. Chef Hill has won several awards which include the Great Michigan Potato Recipe Contest and American Culinary Federation Lansing, MI Chapter Chef of the Year.

Chef Cory Barrett

Chef Cory Barrett’s career has come full circle and he couldn’t be happier. The Oak Harbor, Ohio native began his formal training at the culinary school at Baker College of Muskegon. After working in Ann Arbor and Farmington Hills restaurants as a pastry chef, he moved to Las Vegas and was an opening member of Wynn Hotel and Casino.
For seven years, he worked in Cleveland for chef Michael D. Symon who stars in the television shows Iron Chef and The Chew. Barrett, now teaches for the Kalamazoo Valley Community College culinary arts program and helped open the student-run Havirmill Cafe and 418 Restaurant. In addition to serving as the corporate pastry chef for the Michael Symon Restaurant Group, he assisted with Iron Chef cooking show episodes appearing in 17 episodes.

Dave Lorenz

Dave serves as Vice President of Travel Michigan, where he is responsible for leading the state’s tourism branding, advertising and public relations efforts; overseeing the award-winning Pure Michigan tourism campaign and coordinating overall statewide tourism initiatives. Mr. Lorenz is on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Travel Association, the National Council of State Tourism Directors (NCSTD) Alumni Group, Michigan Cares for Tourism, Circle Michigan, Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, MotorCities National Heritage Area, West Michigan Tourism, Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the @Grand Rapids Hotel Advisory Board. Prior to Travel Michigan, Mr. Lorenz was the Manager of Partnerships and Promotions, for Meijer, Inc. He also has 14 years’ experience in radio broadcasting in roles varying from announcer and news reporter to numerous management positions.

Ron Radamacher

Ron is a working author with six books about travel on the back roads of Michigan. He has been described as an explorer, writer, storyteller and the man who holds the record for getting lost the most times on the back roads of Michigan. Michigan Back Roads (www.michiganbackroads.com) and Ron’s other getaway web sites were visited more than 179,000 times last year. His "Travel in Michigan” Newsletter is published via email on the first of the month and sent to thousands of Michigan explorers. Ron can be heard on 25 radio stations across Michigan each week on the Steve Gruber Show and other programs.

Erik Hastings

Erik Hastings, aka "Erik The Travel Guy" is an Emmys / Television Academy award-winning television personality who speaks directly to consumers who can't afford to "get their vacations wrong". He is the host and managing editor of the internationally syndicated television series Beyond Your Backyard for Public Broadcasting Stations (PBS). "Beyond Your Backyard", a new educational travel series for Blue Ridge PBS debuted in April 2018 and quickly gained national attention. Today, the series is seen by millions of viewers and is nationally syndicated. In it's first season, the series was honored by the industry with two EMMY awards for the show and its host.