The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority has a new executive director, and it’s longtime local Carol Chaplin.

Chaplin said she’s excited to be in her new position.

“Because of my history with the organization, it’ll be easy to hit the ground running,” Chaplin said.

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The LTVA Board of Directors unanimously approved the hiring subcommittee’s recommendation at the Thursday meeting.

The position became available March 31 when former executive director Patrick Kaler’s resignation became effective. Kaler, who had been with the LTVA for 3 1/2 years, said he was leaving the organization to pursue other interests.

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At the meeting, LTVA Board President Pat Ronan thanked Sue Barton for filling in for Kaler in the role as LTVA deputy director.

Besides being the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce representative, Chaplin has been the director of sales and marketing at Aramark, the operators of Zephyr Cove Resort and the M.S. Dixie II and Tahoe Queen for the past six years.

Chaplin said she hasn’t set a date for starting her new job because she’ll be phasing out of her old responsibilities into her new ones.

As for her position on the LTVA board, the chamber would appoint a new representative, Chaplin said. She also is the current chair of the LTVA Marketing Committee.

Chaplin has more than 25 years’ experience in marketing, management and tourism at the South Shore, and is looking at what the future holds.

“With the current economy, we have immediate challenges before us, but with the cooperation and teamwork of our partners, we’ll succeed,” Chaplin said.