Judy Ryals is paving the way for a brighter future in Huntsville, Alabama.
The Huntsville/Madison area has experienced tremendous growth and success, particularly in the travel and hospitality industry over the past few years. Serving as the president/CEO of the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Judy Ryals is one of the most influential leaders impacting the growth.
Ryals joined the Bureau in 1978 and is the longest serving director of a tourism bureau in the State of Alabama. But her impact in the industry goes well beyond the Huntsville region. Over the course of her career, there is little in Alabama’s tourism sector she has not touched.
Ryals has been appointed by six governors to serve on the Advisory Board of the Alabama Tourism Department due to her success in promoting the Huntsville/Madison areas. She currently serves as the chairman and was one of the first females to serve as a board member of the International Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus, which is now Destination Marketing Association International.
Ryals has served on a number of statewide boards, including the Alabama Council of Association Executives, Alabama Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus and Alabama Travel Council. She received the state’s top award and was inducted into the Alabama Tourism Hall of Fame, the first CVB representative to receive this award.
The Huntsville/Madison County CVB was chosen as the organization of the year by the Alabama tourism industry, as well as by Alabama Mountain Lakes Association, the north Alabama regional tourism marketing organization.
She is a graduate of the University of Alabama where she received a degree in public relations in 1976. Mrs. Ryals, an Alabama native, is married to Davis Ryals, Jr. and they have two sons.
She finds it especially satisfying to make a difference and improve the quality of life for the community in which she lives, works and plays. In a recent article, she points specifically to “the expansion at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, the growth of Huntsville Museum of Art and the emergence of the old textile factory at Lowe Mill into a nationally recognized arts and entertainment area,” as improvements she sees paying dividends.
Regarding the growth and success of Huntsville/Madison, Ryals states, “Looking back, it becomes evident that much of our success as a city is due to our ability to rise to the challenge of change, to recognize the need for growth and to embrace it”.
When asked about Mrs. Ryals, the leaders in the Huntsville/Madison area praise her leadership and service.
Mayor Tommy Battle said, “Judy Ryals has been one of the City’s most active and dedicated leaders. Through her role championing Huntsville as a prime tourist destination, Judy has elevated our brand throughout the Southeast and the world.”
Similarly, Chairman of the Madison County Commission Dale Strong states, “For more than 40 years, Judy Ryals has been a leader in executing a distinct vision to not only grow tourism in our region but to also position Huntsville and Madison County as the premier tourist destination in the State of Alabama.”
Yellowhammer News is proud to name Mrs. Judy Ryals a 2019 Woman of Impact.
The 2nd Annual Women of Impact Awards will celebrate the honorees on April 29, 2019, in Birmingham. Event details can be found here.
