Visit Lebanon Valley president & CEO’s career celebrated at retirement party

During her eight years as president and CEO of Visit Lebanon Valley, Jen Kuzo achieved many accomplishments. 

There’s the highly successful Java Journey, which is somewhat ironic given she’s not a coffee drinker. 

Read More: The Java Journey evolution: 7 years of caffeinated community connections

There’s authorship of two children’s books that showcase the tourism travels of Lebanon Lilly, a Holstein cow that’s visited various county sites to celebrate and promote the valley’s many gems.

Read More: Lebanon Lilly sequel celebrates Lebanon County ag, tourism

And then there’s the world’s largest Lebanon Bologna Sandwich, which Kuzo sees as her crowning achievement during her time at the helm of the local tourism agency. All of Kuzo’s contributions to VLV were celebrated Thursday with a farewell event at Alden Villa in Cornwall.

“I would probably say the world’s largest Lebanon Bologna Sandwich. That was something from here that’s unique and then went viral,” said Kuzo when asked by LebTown about her legacies.

Read More: ‘World’s Largest Lebanon Bologna Sandwich’ grabs national attention

The 150-foot sandwich was served at the 2023 Lebanon Area Fair and is believed to be a world record, worthy of the Guinness World Records book, according to Kuzo. 

“The whole story behind it is that it would cost $13,000 to verify it (with Guinness) because they’d have to send somebody out to verify it. We raised $16,000 (through sandwich sponsorships) but it didn’t feel right to give that money to them, so we decided to keep it in the Lebanon Valley and give those proceeds to Lebanon County Christian Ministries for their food bank,” Kuzo told LebTown during her last day in office, which was on Friday. “We have what is believed to be the world’s largest Lebanon Bologna Sandwich, whether it is in Guinness or not.” 

A close second are the two Lebanon Lilly children’s books because those projects were dear to Kuzo’s heart.

“Mayor Capello asked me if I planned to keep Lilly’s adventures going, and I am open to it,” said Kuzo, who is stepping down to spend time with her grandchildren and travel. “I am only retiring to Palmyra, and I plan to be around and be active after some time off.” 

On Thursday, approximately 100 community leaders, business associates, VLV board members, local officials and her family members attended Kuzo’s farewell party that was titled “A Legacy of Leadership.”

“We’re here to recognize the extraordinary impact she had on our county and our community,” said board chairman Rick Stammel. “When Jen stepped into her role, she brought with her a vision to showcase Lebanon County as a destination worth discovering, worth savoring, and worth returning to.”

Stammel, owner of Ancestor Coffeehouse & Crêperie, said one of of Kuzo’s legacies was the ability to turn vision into reality.

“Through her leadership, Visit Lebanon Valley has grown into a dynamic force for tourism, hospitality, and community pride,” he said. Stammel highlighted Java Journey, Libations Trail, the world’s largest Lebanon Bologna Sandwich (which he called amazing), as well as her accomplishments as an author among her achievements..

There were other noteworthy landmarks to celebrate.

“Perhaps Jen’s greatest accomplishment has been raising the visibility of Lebanon County far beyond our borders. Under her leadership, Visit Lebanon Valley has positioned our community as a destination for travelers seeking authenticity, charm, and adventure,” Stammel said. “She has shown the world that the Lebanon Valley is not just a place to pass through, but a place to pause, explore, and enjoy. From outdoor recreation to cultural experiences, Jen has ensured that our county shines brightly on the map of Pennsylvania tourism. But beyond the programs and campaigns Jen’s legacy has been measured in the relationships she built and the pride she instilled.”

Read More: Lebanon Valley’s assets celebrated at Visit Lebanon Valley’s tourism summit

Jane Yorty, VLV’s event manager, and Kuzo’s husband, Ron, provided what could be considered comic relief via “roasts” as well as heartfelt tributes during their comments at Thursday’s event.

Yorty said her initial perception of Jen was that she was a chill, kind of laid-back person who she’d like to grab a cup of coffee with. 

“I look back at those innocent times with fondness. Because here’s what I didn’t know, Jen hates coffee,” said Yorty, which elicited laughter. “She somehow created the Java Journey anyway, apparently as a form of personal torment.”

Yorty added she’s not really a chill individual as part of good-natured ribbing of her soon-to-be ex-boss.

“The woman is not chill at all. I discovered this during a team meeting around the conference room table. I committed what can only be described as an unforgivable crime against workplace etiquette,” said Yorty, adding that she put down a sweaty iced coffee directly on the conference room table. “Ten minutes in, Jen can no longer take it. She stops the meeting mid-sentence, looks at me with desperation in her eyes, and says, ‘For the love of God, get yourself a coaster.’”

This led to a moment of clarity for Yorty.

“This is the moment I realized the truth. Jen is who Martha Stewart calls when she needs help setting boundaries. She says she’s retired and relaxed. That’s adorable, Jen. Jen hasn’t relaxed since the Bush administration,” noted Yorty. 

Yorty then turned serious.

“Because every roast needs a soft landing, Jen has been the heartbeat of Visit Lebanon Valley. She has led with passion, vision, and just enough neurotic energy to keep us all very, very productive. Jen, you have poured your heart and soul into this work and this community. And while we will absolutely miss you, we cannot wait to text you every time someone wants one of those wooden nickels,” Yorty said. 

Ron said they were there to talk about her retirement and not her accomplishments and then spoke of her achievements anyway.

“She made VLV a franchise. Put Lebanon County on the map, on the tourism map. And we’re here talking about retirement? Really? I mean, what are we talking about retirement for? Not her accomplishments. We’re talking about retirement. … How silly is that?,” he said, evoking the great Allen Iverson. “She broke new ground, tore down barriers and created long-lasting relationships. She led by example. But we’re here talking about retirement. How can we be talking about retirement, man? Why are we talking about retirement? … We’re not talking about the world’s largest bologna sandwich. Or over $300 million in visitor spending to the local economy. No, we’re here talking about retirement. You come to the VLV office, we’ve seen her work in the community, the effort, the drive, the desire, the crazy ideas.”

Kuzo said she’d keep her remarks brief so that everyone could get back to the fun stuff, which included a food buffet, coffee bar, adult beverages, acoustic music by Scott Galbraith, and conversation with one another. A revolving photo and video display in another room of the villa celebrated Kuzo’s career.

Read More: Visit Lebanon Valley president/CEO Jennifer Kuzo announces retirement

Kuzo said it was the people she worked with that she will always cherish the most during her tenure at VLV. 

“The real gift is the relationships that we made over the years, that’s what makes it special. I started this job really not knowing anyone in the Lebanon Valley, growing up in the Lebanon Valley, but not working in the Lebanon Valley,” Kuzo said. “So everyone I knew here, or everyone I met here, has been here since I started this job. And it’s really become special and all the great people that I’ve met, it’s just indelible. So it has made it so special. So thank you. Because of you, we did get to do wonderful things. So thank you.”

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