Lee Sentell, the director of Alabama Tourism, has been involved in tourism promotion for more than 25 years. He was director of marketing at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville during the first 10 years of Space Camp. Since Gov. Bob Riley appointed him as tourism director in 2003, Alabama's tourism industry has grown by 45 percent to $9.3 billion in expenditures a year. Under his leadership, Alabama's tourism agency has been selected as the best in the South for three of the past four years. The Year of Alabama Food and Year of Alabama Arts campaigns have received numerous national awards, including ones for the best state promotion. Other campaigns have celebrated gardens, outdoors and sports. 2009 celebrates The Year of Alabama History and the 2010 campaign will focus on The Year of Small Towns and Downtowns. Sentell currently serves on the boards of the Alabama Historical Commission and the Alabama State Council on the Arts.