Regional Partnership Announced to Promote O'Brien, Lyon & Clay Counties

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT:
Kiana L. Johnson, O’Brien County Economic Development Corporation Ph.: 712-957-1313
Jen Smit, Lyon County Economic Development Ph.: 712-470-6508 Olivia Baxter, Clay County Tourism Ph.: 712-262-5680

September 14, 2026 – O’Brien County Economic Development Corporation, Lyon County Economic Development, and Clay County Tourism announce that they have formed a regional partnership to promote tourism in their respective counties. During the past few weeks, Kerry Belgrave, The Caffeinated Creative, has been visiting O’Brien, Lyon, and Clay counties, checking out the golfing opportunities, exploring places to eat, shop, and stay, and getting caffeinated! Social media content from these visits will soon be published on Facebook and Instagram.
Kiana Johnson, Executive Director of O’Brien County Economic Development Corporation, Jen Smit, Lyon County Economic Development Director, and Olivia Baxter, Clay County Tourism Manager, joined forces to make this creator visit a reality. These three community leaders have set their sights on future collaborations and are excited to see where their partnership leads.
“This regional partnership is an exciting new venture. Individually, each of our counties has great attractions, but together we can offer a fuller picture of what rural Midwest travel looks like. By combining resources, we can showcase the real Northwest Iowa—local food, outdoor recreation, and small-town hospitality. It’s a smart way to stretch our tourism budgets and get authentic coverage that helps all of us,” said Johnson.
Baxter added, “Golf was a great way to kick off this partnership and highlight some of the quality courses we have throughout our region. But this is really just the beginning. There are so many attractions, businesses, outdoor spaces, events, and experiences across all three counties that we would love to feature through future projects. We’re excited to continue working together and finding new ways to encourage visitors to explore more of Northwest Iowa.”
For additional information on O’Brien, Lyon and Clay counties, contact Kiana Johnson at 712-930-1313, Jen Smit at 712-472-8546 or Olivia Baxter at 712-262-5680.