A Century of Tourism Leadership Celebrated at Destination Door County’s 100th Annual Meeting
October 29, 2025 – Door County, WI. More than 160 Door County business leaders and tourism stakeholders gathered to celebrate Destination Door County’s 100th annual meeting during an evening of camaraderie, food and beverages at Maxwelton Braes Lodge on Tuesday, October 28.
The evening highlighted DDC’s continued efforts to balance visitor growth with community well-being, showcasing successes from the past year while looking ahead to the future of Door County as a thriving, sustainable destination.
During the event, President/CEO Julie Gilbert shared organizational highlights and recognized community partners for their ongoing support. The program reflected upon Destination Door County’s legacy since its founding in 1891 and its inaugural stakeholders meeting in 1925, while also emphasizing future priorities in economic vitality, destination stewardship, sustainable development, and community alignment.
“Reaching our 100th Annual Meeting is both a celebration of where we’ve been and a commitment to where we’re headed,” said Julie Gilbert, President/CEO of Destination Door County. “Tourism has always been an important part of Door County’s identity, and we are proud to continue building on that legacy with a focus on stewardship, sustainability, and meaningful partnerships.”
Attendees also helped support the arts through a special Art in the Door bucket raffle, which raised $1,360 for the Peninsula Arts & Humanities Alliance. The four winning Art in the Door contest original paintings were awarded to four lucky bucket raffle winners. Three of the four winning artists were in attendance to be recognized for their winning entries.
Guests were treated to a special video message from Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers to mark the occasion along with an Art in the Door 2025 promotional video. Additionally, a 2025 Year-In-Review video highlighted many of DDC’s accomplishments over the past year on behalf of the community.
Throughout the evening, a historic slideshow highlighting key organizational moments and community members was played. The event concluded with a group photo and more networking time along with tour opportunities of Maxwelton Braes Lodge.
A printed summary highlighting 2025 DDC activities was available to attendees to take home, and it is now available to view online as a PDF here.
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Destination Door County is the official tourism marketing and management organization for Door County whose mission is to inspire travel that drives community enhancement while working to ensure all travelers feel welcome, preserving the county’s way of life and protecting the region’s natural resources.
LINKS / Accompanying Assets:
2025 Year-In-Review Video YouTube link:
https://youtu.be/FaGLn7zSue4
2025 Historic Slideshow:
https://doorcounty.widen.net/s/psmmvf68hd/2025-annual-meeting-historical-slide-show
2025 Annual Meeting Group Photo:
https://doorcounty.widen.net/s/vxqflfxkbt/2025-10-28---ddc-annual-meeting-group-photo
2025 Year-In-Review PDF Executive Summary:
https://doorcounty.widen.net/s/dxqzf5fmf9/2025-ddc-year-in-review-4-page-summary
Media Contact:
Jon Jarosh
920.818.1133 or jon@doorcounty.com
