WARREN COUNTY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – This week, a face of tourism and entertainment in the Glens Falls and Lake George surrounding region announced she would be taking her leave after 41 years. Warren County Tourism Director Joanne Conley announced her retirement on Tuesday, and the county is looking to find someone to fill her shoes.

“It has been my absolute pleasure to work for Warren County for the past 41 years,” said Conley on Tuesday. “I truly enjoy all that Warren County and each of our communities has to offer. That’s the part that makes the job so rewarding.”

Conley’s four decades of contributions to the region include work branding the Lake George region as a vacation destination, including online and television advertisements that have won awards. Her work also includes increasing the area’s social media reach, and more recently, the introduction of Ice Castles to Lake George’s winter events lineup.

Conley’s departure creates a need for someone new to lead the charge on the future of local tourism, which plays a huge role in Warren County’s economies, from Glens Falls to Adirondack communities like North Creek. The county is planning to create a posting for job applications in the coming days.

“Obviously in a county such as Warren County, where tourism is such a major part of the economy, the tourism director is incredibly important. Joanne’s 41 years of institutional knowledge will be incredibly difficult to replace,” said county Communications Officer Don Lehman.

Warren County could not yet supply a list of specific qualifications or skills being sought in a new director. However, Conley had plenty to say about her own experiences with Warren County, which could create a good place to start.

“I have literally been to all corners of our county, from events like the Smoke Eaters Jamboree and Maple Days, hiking Potash Mountain, or cycling around Brant Lake, working toward the Letterbox Challenge and the Chester Challenge, paddling Northwest Bay, or listening to Jazz at the Lake. My husband has been known to say on many occasions as we head out the door for a day’s adventure, that I am always ‘on the job,” Conley said.