It’s thumbs up for VISIT Milwaukee—or if you remember Fonzie from Happy Days, it’s a congratulatory AAAAAAAAY!  Pictured above, Julia Hertel, (left) Executive Director of Wisconsin Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, Doug Neilson, President & CEO of VISIT Milwaukee, Kelli Trumble, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. Nelson is holding 2008 Wisconsin Tourism Trailblazer award which was awarded to VISIT Milwaukee, the City’s CVB, for outstanding marketing and partnership projects. Among the attributes that led to the award were, leading a community effort to create a bronze sculpture of Fonzie, the iconic character, who’s full name was Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli, from the popular TV show, Happy Days—famously set in Milwaukee! The organization also spearheaded fund raising efforts, resulting in 85,000 for the downtown Milwaukee tourism attraction and created events and other public relations efforts that generated $9.5 million in worldwide media coverage and at the same time raised $17,000 for a Milwaukee literacy program.  VISIT Milwaukee also brought an educational component to the project by enlisting the assistance of UW-Milwaukee public relations students. Milwaukee has long earned a positive reputation as a meetings destination. The city boasts a remarkable 14,381 hotel rooms, with 2,374 within walking distance of Midwest Airlines Center, which features 189,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space and a 37,500 square-foot grand ballroom capable of accommodating 3,150 diners at one time. Milwaukee’s convention center campus also includes the 4,000-seat Milwaukee Theatre, and the U.S. Cellular Arena, a 12,700-seat home for sports, entertainment and assemblies that also features 24,000 square feet of exhibit booth or trade show space.