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STEUBEN COUNTY CONFERENCE & VISITORS BUREAU INC
CORNING, NY · EIN 161464229 · Form 990 · FY2025 · Medium ($1M-$10M) · corningfingerlakes.com
revenue
$1.2M
expenses
$1.2M
net assets
$685K
employees
6
program ratio
90%
mission · from form 990

THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION IS TO AGGRESSIVELY PROMOTE THE VISITOR INDUSTRY YEAR ROUND AND THEREBY STIMULATE ECONOMIC GROWTH.

profile · synthesized from sources

Destination marketing organization for Steuben County, New York, focused on promoting tourism to stimulate local economic growth. The organization highlights the Finger Lakes region's natural attractions, wine trails, glass art heritage, and outdoor recreation through digital content, event promotion, and visitor resources. Operates under the branding "Explore Steuben" and targets tourists planning trips to the Corning and Finger Lakes area.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2025

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $82K
    NYS MATCHING TOURISM GRANT - TO PLAN AND PROMOTE MARKETING PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO STIMULATE AND INCREASE THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF TOURISM IN NEW YORK STATE.
named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Destination Development Grant Program
Program to support local tourism-related projects and events in Steuben County through funding and promotion
Interactive Visitor Guide
Digital tool allowing users to build custom video itineraries by selecting local activities and attractions
What the FLX?! Podcast
Podcast series highlighting local attractions, stories, and experiences in the Finger Lakes region to engage potential visitors
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Regional Tourism Promotion 8 activities
    • Highlighting and promoting regional wineries
      Features New York State’s wine industry, particularly Finger Lakes wineries, as a key tourism draw through marketing and promotional efforts.
    • Operating a tourism information email newsletter
      Distributes an email newsletter to share information about Steuben County, including tourism opportunities and local events, to promote visitation and community engagement.
    • Planning and promoting tourism marketing programs
      Designs and executes marketing initiatives to stimulate tourism and increase its economic impact across New York State, with a focus on Steuben County and the Finger Lakes region.
    • Producing a regional travel podcast
      Creates and publishes the “What the FLX?!” podcast to inspire travel and deepen engagement with the Finger Lakes region through storytelling and local highlights.
    • Promoting cultural tourism in Corning
      Highlights Corning, known as America’s Crystal City, and its glass artistry as a cultural tourism destination to attract visitors and support local heritage.
    • Promoting local businesses and community engagement
      Encourages tourism and visitation to local boutiques, eateries, and small towns in Steuben County to support economic development and community vitality.
    • Promoting regional tourism experiences
      Markets the Finger Lakes region through its natural landscapes, waterfalls, wineries, small towns, and cultural attractions such as hot glass artistry to attract visitors.
    • Promoting tourism at Keuka Lake
      Markets Keuka Lake’s unique Y-shaped geography and recreational opportunities as a distinctive regional attraction to increase visitation.
  • Municipal and Community General Support 1 activity
    • Administering a Destination Development Grant Program
      Funds local tourism projects through the Destination Development Grant Program to support destination development and community-based tourism initiatives in the region.
  • Visitor Information and Trip Planning Services 1 activity
    • Offering personalized video itinerary tools
      Provides an interactive tool that allows visitors to create customized video itineraries by selecting preferred activities in the Finger Lakes region.
  • Outdoor Recreation Access Promotion 1 activity
    • Providing outdoor recreation guidance
      Offers information and resources for outdoor activities including paddling, hiking, biking, and camping in the Finger Lakes region to support tourism and visitor engagement.
financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$1.21M
Contributions & grants$1.16M96%
Program service revenue$23K2%
Investment income$20K2%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.22M
Program expenses90%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$475K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$752K
Cash$632K
Investments$0
Liabilities$67K
Net assets$685K
Liquid reserves6.2 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +0.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
KEVIN PETERSON PRESIDENT 40 $109K
board members · 20
  • CHELSEA ROBERTSON — ADVISORY BOARD
  • CHRIS WALTERS — PAST CHAIR
  • COLLEEN CORO — CHAMBER REPRESENTATIVE
  • CORRINE HETHERINGTON — ADVISORY BOARD
  • HILDA LANDO — BOARD MEMBER
  • JILL STAATS — ADVISORY BOARD
  • JOE HOPE — VICE-CHAIR
  • JORDAN HARRIS — CHAIR
  • KATIE PHELPS — BOARD MEMBER
  • LAURY WARD — ADVISORY BOARD
  • MARIE MYERS SHEARING — BOARD MEMBER
  • MEGHAN LAWTON — ADVISORY BOARD
  • MICHAEL HANNA — BOARD MEMBER
  • MICHELLE BURCH — ADVISORY BOARD
  • NATE BASCH — BOARD MEMBER
  • RACHEL BEILER — BOARD MEMBER
  • REGINA WAGNER — BOARD MEMBER
  • ROSEMARY CELELLI — ADVISORY BOARD
  • SHELLY KRELLNER — TREASURER/SECRETARY
  • TESS MCKINLEY — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 11

Who they work with

  • 11C Films LLC Partner — Collaborates on visual content production for tourism promotion.
  • Cagwin Photography Partner — Supplies photographic content for featured events and tourism promotion.
  • Explore Steuben Network — Primary brand and website used by the organization to promote tourism in Steuben County.
  • Gaffer District Partner — Collaborates on promoting GlassFest and other cultural events in Corning.
  • Glenn H. Curtiss Museum Partner — Partners to promote Wings & Wheels event and aviation/history tourism.
  • Keuka Lake Partner — Collaborates on promoting Keuka Lake as a tourist destination.
  • Luke Petrinec Partner — Supplies photographic content for events and attractions.
  • Purple Peach Studio Partner — Provides visual content or design support for tourism materials.
  • Ryan Fleet Partner — Provides photographic content for regional events and outdoor experiences.
  • Stu Gallagher Partner — Provides photographic content for outdoor and scenic features.
  • Wineglass Marathon Partner — Collaborates on promoting the Wineglass Marathon as a featured regional event.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Highlight Scenic and Outdoor Recreation Assets as Primary Attractions
    methodology: outdoor_recreation_tourism
    By marketing naturally occurring landscapes and outdoor recreation opportunities—especially around Keuka Lake—we attract visitors seeking immersive nature experiences, because scenic beauty and accessible outdoor activities are key decision drivers for regional tourism.
  • Leverage Cultural Heritage to Differentiate Tourism Offerings
    methodology: cultural_heritage_tourism
    By integrating museums, glassmaking heritage, and cultural institutions into travel itineraries, we attract culturally motivated visitors, because unique regional identity and authentic storytelling increase destination appeal and visitor loyalty.
  • Themed Tourism Trails to Drive Regional Visitations
    methodology: themed_tourism_trails
    By curating and promoting themed experiences such as craft beverage trails, wine trails, and farm life, we increase visitor engagement and extend length of stay, because themed itineraries create memorable, shareable experiences that differentiate Steuben County from other destinations.