Fri, May 16 2008
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Published May 07, 2008 12:40 am - BURTON — As a veteran journalist, Neil Zurcher of Cleveland did a lot to promote northeast Ohio’s tourist attractions and towns in the media for more than three decades. Tourist council honors veteran northeast Ohio journalist/author By DORIS COOK - Staff Writer Star Beacon BURTON — As a veteran journalist, Neil Zurcher of Cleveland did a lot to promote northeast Ohio’s tourist attractions and towns in the media for more than three decades.
Zurcher was honored Tuesday by the Western Reserve Tourist Council (WRTC), receiving its Excellence Award. WRTC drew more than 60 members to its spring meeting at the Red Maple Inn. WRTC president Lynda Nemeth welcomed the group, along with the inn’s owner, Gordon Safran, to an Amish wedding-style luncheon. Zurcher was presented the award by Mark Winchell, WRTC vice president and director of the Ashtabula County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Zurcher recognized some WRTC members and tourism bureau people who helped him in his search for special Ohio attractions and towns. Nemeth, who is also director of the Geauga County Tourism Council (GCTC), introduced two Geauga County Amish business owners, Emma Miller of Amish Home Craft Shop, and James Miller of Sugar Valley Maple Syrup. The business owners told the group about their businesses and about getting involved in the local tourism council. Nemeth announced that GCTC is updating its Web site for all 130-plus members, including the Amish businesses in Geauga area. “Each business member will be able to go in with a password and change their information,” Nemeth said. “It is so neat and will be a great asset.” After accepting the award, Zurcher shared a couple humorous stories about when he first started doing the “one-tank trips.” “When I first started in 1989 to do the one-tank trips, I went to the Marietta tourism office. I told the woman, who was a volunteer, my name and why I was there. The woman thought I was with the Army and never told me anything about Marietta,” he joked. “This is a great honor, and thank you,” Zurcher told the group. He also was made an honorary WRTC member. Zurcher began his media career in 1954 with the Oberlin News Tribune, then branched off to several radio stations before going to Cleveland TV Channel 8. He is an Emmy Award winner, but also received the Distinguished Service Award from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Silver Circle Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Semiretired today, Zurcher writes columns for several motoring club publications and just took a freelance column writing job with the Plain Dealer. 
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