Our Clients

Hargrove International, Inc. partners, Cheryl Hargrove and John Bauser, have worked with a plethora of private companies, government agencies, and non-profit and destination marketing organizations in the U.S. and around the world.  Here are a few examples of where we’ve worked, with whom, and the type of consultation provided.  Work samples and references are available upon request.

 Rural Tourism  Institute 

  • Draft course instruction for new pilot program led by West Virginia University in partnership with NC State Extension and University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment (and other organizations), and funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission to provide a custom curriculum to address the challenges unique to rural tourism destinations seeking sustainable strategies for growth and stewardship. (Fall 2024 – December 2025)

 

Town of Abingdon (Virginia) Cultural Heritage Tourism Strategic Plan

  • Facilitate the creation of a comprehensive five-year strategic plan, including assessment of historic resources, market analysis, identification of best practices and competitive set, stakeholder engagement, and recommended strategies for cultural heritage tourism initiatives, management tools, and long-range stewardship. (September 2025 – August 2026)

 

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad New York Byway CMP

  • Facilitate the development of the corridor management plan (CMP) for the proposed 550+ mile state byway, including identifying the potential route, documenting contributing resources, conducting stakeholder outreach, preparing planning documents, and organizing information for submission to the New York State DOT for approval (January 2024 – December 2025)

 

Updated Heritage Tourism Element for the Passaic County (New Jersey) Master Plan 

  • Conducted assessments of historic sites, natural and cultural resources, and recreational assets to update the inventory for the county. Facilitated stakeholder meetings to understand needs and aspirations to grow heritage tourism, and determine best practices for managing opportunities for the county. (October 2024 – June 2025)

 

Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Monument Heritage Tourism Plan

  • Created a five-year plan for the recently designated national monument in Newcastle, Maine. The process included a competitive analysis, on-site assessment, primary and secondary research analysis, stakeholder interviews, identification of cultural heritage tourism trends, setting a vision/ goals/ metrics/ and guiding principles, and crafting a phased process for growth and sustainability.

 

Louisiana Office of Tourism

  • Byways Program Assessments (ongoing): On-site visits to visually document the attractions, activities, and experiences along designated byways. Assessments include the location and condition of signage, the availability of visitor services, the identification of distinct lodging, dining, retail, and recreation, and the evaluation of interpretation, accessibility, and hospitality along the route.
  • Statewide Birding Trail Update (June 2023-June 2024): Created a dedicated website to collect nominations, record on-site assessments, score sites with specific criteria, and add other information relevant to the location and visitor experience. Working with Louisiana-based naturalists (Audubon Society, SEG Environmental, and Bill Fontenot, one of the original birding trail consultants) and Foresite Consulting, the team compiled and analyzed site and bird species information into six regions with at least one selected site in each parish.
  • Rural Tourism Conference (annually): Assist the Louisiana Office of Tourism with agenda content and speaker identification, and present on relevant topics with information that can be actioned along the byways and in rural destinations.
 

Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)

  • READY Nonprofit Technical Assistance and Grant Program (September 2020-July 2024): Program designer, instructors, and manager of an online training program and resource center for board development, fundraising, financial management, programs & operations, marketing communications, and human capital. Since the program’s inception, over 200 Appalachian-based nonprofit organizations (during six cohort sessions) received expert training in one or more of six topics. The free online resource center offers curated content to over 1,200 users in the U.S. As the inaugural managers of the ARC READY Nonprofits program, Hargrove International served as the content creator, registrar, resource directory curator, and grant concept consultant. Hargrove International also worked with its technology partner, Foresite Consulting, to develop, maintain, and enhance the program’s online learning platform.
 
  • Appalachian Gateway Communities Initiative–a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and Conservation Fund (since 2007): Program contributor, coach/instructor, and presenter at the multi-day workshop where selected teams create action plans for arts/community/economic development projects. Post-workshop grants provide seed money to help implement action plan priorities.
 

 

 

What Clients Say . . .

"Bringing Cheryl into a project is always a win for those involved, as she’s an excellent resource for communities and agencies, and valued partner in successfully developing and delivering a project. She brings tremendous knowledge on multiple topics - bringing art into a community, growing cultural heritage tourism, nonprofit capacity and development, and funding options to name just a few. Cheryl’s a great presenter, and I appreciate that community members find her very approachable. Her partnership in the Appalachian Gateway Community Initiative has delivered tremendous results for the planning team and the community participants, and it’s an easy decision to include her in new projects and recommend her work to others."
The Conservation FundSusan Elks, AICP,Program Manager, Balancing Nature & Commerce
"Cheryl and her company were retained (in 2014) to assess heritage tourism opportunities for the community of Red Cloud, Nebraska, and to market recommendations regarding potential development. Cheryl brought profound expertise, worked exceptionally well with our team, was pleasant, responsible and her work was timely and within budget. Given Cheryl's performance on this project I would not hesitate to retain her services again on similar projects."
Center for Rural Entrepreneurship
Center for Rural EntrepreneurshipDon Macke, Co-Director
"I simply cannot thank you enough for sharing your expertise at RevitalizeWA (May 2016). The excitement and ideas your presentations have generated are invaluable to our communities! Not to mention all the ways you have gone above and beyond as a keynote speaker throughout the planning process. From the way you thoughtfully tailored your presentation to the specific needs in Washington to the follow-up resources you've included in your slides - I have so much respect and gratitude for your commitment to your field and to local communities striving for authenticity and vitality."
Washington State Main Street Program
Washington State Main Street ProgramBreanne Durham, Main Street Director, Washington Trust for Historic Preservation
“Our experience working with Hargrove International on a $4 million capital campaign was positive in every respect.  Hargrove tailored their advice to address our specific needs providing succinct, effective solutions.  The organizational structure that they helped us establish, created a solid foundation for all the fundraising efforts that followed.  I highly recommend the “Art of the Ask” training which gave the Campaign Committee the skills and confidence that they needed to be successful.”
Coastal Georgia Historical Society
Coastal Georgia Historical SocietySherri Jones, Executive Director
"John helped our organization establish it’s first Board Governance Committee and served as a consultant to this committee for the past four years. His support has been invaluable. The work of the Board Governance Committee has transformed our organization and moved it to the next level. Our board is more engaged than ever and we now have systems in place to ensure that this vital work continues."
Greenwood Gardens
Greenwood GardensSofia Blanchard, Board Governmance Committee Chair
"Hargrove International Inc. exceeded our expectations during an intense 6-month long strategic planning process for the Clinch River Valley of Southwest Virginia. They took to heart the needs of each individual community, organization and stakeholder while meeting and guiding individuals at very different stages in the transformation process. This resulted in an inclusive experience that allowed the group to overcome obstacles and make difficult decisions by building trust and consensus. The resulting plan is straightforward and easy to follow with resources, goals, and constant evaluation to keep our management team and entire region moving toward the desired outcome. Given the opportunity, Friends of Southwest Virginia would gladly work with this fantastic team in the future." 
Clinch River Valley of Southwest Virginia
Clinch River Valley of Southwest VirginiaChris Cannon, Executive Director

Contact us to learn more about how we can specifically help you with:

Contact Cheryl Hargrove
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Examples of Prior Work

  • Mercer Cemetery Heritage Tourism Plan (May 2023): Conducted an on-site assessment of the urban cemetery in downtown Trenton, New Jersey; investigated how other cemeteries utilized their sites for appropriate visitation and revenue generation (tours, special events); and prioritized steps/strategies for sustainable heritage tourism once the cemetery has been restored.
  • Georgia’s Trail of Legacy Lore (May 2023): Directed primary heritage tourism research, conducted on-site assessments of 30 trail attractions in seven communities, facilitated member planning workshops, and organized a rebranding effort for Georgia’s Antebellum Trail to update its name and refine its product to be more inclusive and representative of the region.
  • “Streetside Storytellers” (March 2022): Created curriculum, secured instructors, set up an online portal, and conducted a 10-week course for a dozen participants on how to research, develop, and deliver authentic tours as part of Crossroads of the American Revolution Heritage Area’s preparation for the country’s 250th anniversary beginning in 2026.
  • “Teaching Through Tourism” National Symposium (November 2021): In partnership with the Educational Travel Consortium, organized a multi-day symposium to address the opportunities for cultural heritage tourism practitioners and educational travel planners post-COVID.
  • Bellingham (Washington) Cultural Tourism Plan Update (2017-2022) – Conducted onsite site assessments and stakeholder meetings to establish the foundation for an inclusive strategic plan; helped update the plan post-COVID. 
  • Greater Cumberland Committee Governance & Board Development (2021): Facilitated a day-long Board Retreat and assisted this tri-state economic development organization to improve its governance in the context of a five-year comprehensive strategic plan.
  • The Clinch River Valley Initiative (2018-19): Under the auspices of the Friends of Southwest Virginia and the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable, facilitated this organization’s first comprehensive strategic plan addressing its organizational structure, staffing, governance, funding, communications, programs, and partnerships.
  • Historic Greenwood Gardens Strategic Plan (2015-2021): Facilitated this historic house and gardens’ first comprehensive strategic plan; was subsequently retained to provide (over a four-year period) ongoing assistance with board development and fundraising.

Other Former Clients / Projects

  • American Express Company – Cultural Heritage Tourism Concept Marketing Plan
  • Appalachian Regional Commission – Grant Reviewer
  • Ashoka Changemakers – Geotourism Summits
  • Center for Rural Entrepreneurship – Red Cloud (Nebraska) Heritage Tourism Project (Willa Cather’s home)
  • Center for U.S. – China Arts Exchange – Leadership Forum, Heritage Tourism plan for Weishan Valley (Yunnan Province)
  • City of San Antonio (Texas) – Cultural Tourism Infrastructure and Marketing Assessment
  • Clinch River Valley (Southwest Virginia) – Strategic Plan
  • HandMade in America (Western North Carolina) – Creative Economies Institute Business Plan; Developing a Regional Trails Guidebooks (Craft/Heritage, Agritourism)
  • Henry, Mercer and rural Rock Island, Illinois – Research Report & Strategic Plan
  • Historic Annapolis Foundation – Site Assessment Reports
  • Historic Natchez (MS) Foundation – Historic House Report
  • ITI Marketing, Inc. – Workshop Facilitator, Destination Content
  • Kansas Department of Commerce, Tourism – 10-year State Byways Management & Marketing Plan
  • Ludington & Mason County (Michigan) – Cultural Economic Development Plan
  • National Endowment for the Arts – Cultural Capital Business Plan
  • Oxford (Mississippi) – Heritage Tourism Assessment & Recommendation Report
  • Phoenix International Publishing – Essential Shopping Guide to the U.S.
  • Richmond Hill (Georgia) – Visioning Workshop for Downtown
  • Sequoyah Birthplace Museum (Tennessee) – Marketing & Sustainability Plan
  • SW Associates – Cultural Heritage Tourism Report for the U.S. (as part of a USAID project for Egypt)
  • Texas Heritage Trails LLC – Business Plan
  • Universal Companies, Philadelphia (PA) – Music Tourism Strategic Plan
  • US-AID (for Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina) – Cultural Heritage Tourism Workshops (culinary, craft, and home hosting programs)
  • Visit Montreal (Quebec, Canada) – Geotourism Charter & Mapguide
  • Warren County (North Carolina) – Marketing Plan
  • World Learning for U.S. State Department Tourism Leadership Program (Serbia and Kosovo) – Cultural Heritage Tourism Assessment, Workshop