Happy Valley Adventure Bureau president/CEO announces resignation. What to know
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- HVAB CEO/President Fritz Smith will resign effective May 29.
- Eric Engelbarts was promoted effective immediately but board must formalize May 19.
- Under Smith, Centre County had top post‑COVID visitation growth among PA’s 67 counties.
After an eight-year stint as president and CEO of Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, the official tourism agency for Centre County, Fritz Smith has announced he intends to resign later this month.
In an email to partners, which includes the Centre Daily Times, the nonprofit’s Board of Directors said Smith’s resignation would be effective May 29. HVAB deputy director Eric Engelbarts has been promoted as the acting president and acting CEO “effective immediately.” Still, the action will need to be formalized by the board May 19.
No reason was given for Smith’s resignation, and it wasn’t immediately clear if he planned to retire or pursue other opportunities.
Smith’s tenure at HVAB was marked by unprecedented success when it came to visitation growth. In the email sent to partners, Smith noted Centre County achieved the highest percentage post-COVID growth in visitation among Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. The county also moved up from No. 20 among hotel revenue in 2018 to No. 11 — and climbing — in 2025.
“I leave the organization at a time of tremendous future promise for the Happy Valley, PA tourism economy,” Smith wrote. “We are witnessing unprecedented private sector investment in our visitation infrastructure — hotels, new entertainment and dining options, and more.”
Smith noted HVAB helped build Nittany Valley Sports Centre, C3 Sports and Whitehall Road Regional Park baseball fields. The organization is now attracting independent film production to the county. And its partnerships with the university, Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County, and Fly State College Air Service Alliance “are positioning the county for economic progress while benefiting our tourism economy.”
Smith has been a staple at many business events throughout the county over the years. He will be replaced by Engelbarts, who joined the Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance — an extension of HVAB — in 2023.
Engelbarts served as HVSEA’s executive director, before also serving as HVAB’s deputy director in December 2025. Before Happy Valley, he spent more than a decade as the executive director for the Michigan Sports Alliance.
“The Board has full confidence in Eric’s leadership as we work together to position Happy Valley, PA for the next phase of tourism economic growth,” the board wrote collectively in the email to partners.
