Three Brainerd area residents to serve on Minnesota Tourism Council

Three Brainerd area residents were either appointed or reappointed to the Minnesota Tourism Council Friday by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. They are Merrill "Dutch" Cragun, Lisa Paxton and Deanna Pekar.

Deanna Pekar, the new appointee, owns Sullivan's Resort and Campground and is also an information systems implementation specialist with Dairyland Healthcare Solutions in Glenwood.

She previously owned Black's Crescent Beach Resort in Osakis and has served as an interim accounting instructor at Alexandria Technical College. Pekar is past president of the Lake Osakis Resort Association and also served as a board member of the Alexandria Resort Association. Pekar will serve as a representative of campgrounds during a four-year term that ends Jan. 3, 2011.

Cragun is owner of Cragun's Conference and Golf Resort. He has been a member of the tourism council since its inception in 2004. He represents resorts and his term expires Jan. 3, 2011.

Paxton, chief executive officer of the Brainerd Lakes Chamber, has been a member of the council since 2004 and currently chairs its Public Policy Committee. She previously was Northcentral/West regional manager for Explore Minnesota Tourism and sales manager for the Northcentral/West Travel Guide. She represents the Northcentral/West Tourism Region for a term that expires Jan. 3, 2011.