NACOGDOCHES — The Board of Directors of the Texas Forest Trail Region welcomes Del Polikretis as their new executive director.

Polikretis currently serves as a managing member of ETXLife.com, an East Texas lifestyle blog, guide and market. Polikretis will assume his duties when current Forest Trail director Marty Prince steps down in October.

The Texas Forest Trail Region is a regional tourism initiative developed by the Texas Historical Commission that fosters regional economic development by promoting heritage tourism through the preservation of cultural and historic resources and regional partnerships.

The Texas Forest Trail Region encompasses 35 counties in East Texas including Jefferson.

“We are so excited to welcome Del to the Forest Trail team,” said Holli Conley Fourniquet, incoming Forest Region president and Vice President of Marketing for Visit Tyler. “This process was not easy. We received over 65 applications and narrowed the field to nine very strong candidates. When we met with Del, there was no question that he was the right person for this position. He is the self-motivated, experienced and passionate candidate we were looking for.”

Polikretis said the opportunity to work with, promote and foster regional economic development for the Texas Forest Trail Region is something I am extremely enthusiastic about.

“I look forward to building on the growth Ms. Prince and the team experienced under her leadership,” Polikretis said. “Heritage tourism and the preservation of cultural and historic resources is an extremely important endeavor. I appreciate the opportunity the Board has given me in continuing the conversation about the Region’s past by supporting and celebrating everything East Texas has to offer.”

For more information about the Texas Forest Trail, call 936-560-3699, email txforesttrail@gmail.com or visit www.texasforesttrail.com.