St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director named

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- The Buchanan County Tourism Board and the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) announced Christian Mengel as the CVB's new Executive Director.

Mengel currently serves as the Director of Communications and Marketing at the Bureau. He joined the CVB in 2022 after working for the News-Press and Gazette in marketing and advertising, as well as at FOX4 in Kansas City, Missouri.

He's a lifelong resident of Northwest and North Central Missouri.

Mengel is a graduate of Missouri Western State University with a degree in Convergent Media, a graduate of the Southeast Tourism Society's Marketing College program and is a certified Film Commission Professional through the Association of Film Commissioners International.

Some of Mengel's accolades include securing several marketing grants totaling over $800,000 for the CVB, expanding the Show Me St. Jo! experience and being awarded the 2025 Film Industry Champion by the Missouri Division of Tourism.

Mengel is active in community boards, including the Pony Express Historical Association and Main Street St. Joseph.

“Working alongside our staff, board, visitor industry partners, and community leaders as director of communications and marketing has been one of the great joys in my life, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue and expand that experience as executive director,” Mengel said. “Tourism is an economic tool that directly influences quality of life and how we feel about our community. The things we enjoy the most as residents are often the things we tell friends and family about when they visit, and that can make all the difference in the world on what direction a city moves.”

Mengel will begin his new duties starting Oct. 1, 2026.