The devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina is undeniably tragic, but it's heartening to see how the Illinois travel industry has reached out to support the victims. When the true scale of the disaster became evident, Gov. Blagojevich opened up the state to help accommodate vast numbers of evacuees. Through the leadership of the governor and DCEO Director Jack Lavin, we've partnered with the Red Cross to provide places to stay for many of those left without homes.

As many of you know, in early September we asked that our industry partners reach out to their area hotels to try and secure available rooms for the evacuees. The response was overwhelming. We were contacted by a tremendous number of properties throughout the state that offered to reserve blocks of rooms at discounted rates. We sent their information to the Red Cross, which has been handling the logistics of ensuring resources for the evacuees. The response has been so impressive that we've been informed that there are now enough rooms reserved to sustain those in need for the emergency's duration.

Many of you have expressed an interest in continuing to find ways to help. On our www.enjoyillinois.com homepage, we have placed links to organizations that are offering assistance of various kinds. Contact information is provided for the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity and the Network for Good. We also feature a link to the Travel Industry Association of America, which has created a job bank to help workers displaced by Hurricane Katrina find new employment. Continued >

Industry Insider: Sherri Michaels

To help you get to know who's who in Illinois tourism, ITN profiles an industry leader each month. This month, we introduce Sherri Michaels, senior vice president, Tourism & Lifestyle at Edelman Public Relations.

Sherri Michaels is a consumer marketing specialist with 15 years of experience launching, building and positioning some of the nation's leading brands, including the Illinois Bureau of Tourism.

An expert in consumer brands, travel, special events and integrated marketing, Michaels helps lead the Tourism & Lifestyle team in Edelman's Chicago office. She currently serves as the senior strategic counsel for the Illinois Bureau of Tourism, the Illinois Grape Growers & Vintners Association and VTech Electronics accounts. Michaels' past roles have included acting as senior strategist on the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum opening as well as for clients such as Mutual of Omaha, National City, Classic Custom Vacations and Avis/Motorola. She's also directed various integrated marketing programs utilizing Edelman's other specialty practices. Continued >