Cheryl Besl

Cheryl Besl is VP of Marketing & Communications at BE NKY Growth Partnership (BE NKY) and leads communications, public relations and marketing campaigns for the three-county region.

BE NKY’s marketing team has won numerous awards, including a 2024 PRSA Award of Excellence for Community Relations for the BE NKY Community Competitive Initiative, three 2023 Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the International Economic Development Council, and two 2023 Marketing Pinnacle Awards from the American Marketing Association’s Cincinnati Chapter.

In 2024, Cheryl initiated a program to annually recognize Northern Kentucky companies in BE NKY’s target industry sectors that are celebrating milestone anniversaries. Since its inception, BE NKY honored 25 companies celebrating hundreds of years in business. Cheryl also developed a “Talent Chooses NKY” campaign, which showcases the stories of Northern Kentucky professionals who found homes in the region after moving for new career opportunities.

In March 2023, Cheryl led a rebranding and website redesign for BE NKY (formerly Northern Kentucky Tri-ED). The new name evolved from the success of BE NKY’s Build + Elevate Northern Kentucky investor campaign in 2022, which raised more than $4.6 million, surpassing the $4.5 million goal.

Cheryl also manages the organization of BE NKY’s annual forum, annual dinner, and quarterly economic development briefings, as well as groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings for new companies in the community.

Cheryl joined BE NKY in 2019 as Marketing Director. She served as Manager, Communications and Digital Engagement, at The Port. Previously, she was Director of Client Services and Public Relations at a full-service marketing agency in downtown Cincinnati.

She is a former board member of Girls on the Run Greater Cincinnati, Give Back Cincinnati, Hyde Park Blast and the Civic Garden Center. Cheryl is a member of the NKY Works Regional Attraction & Promotion committee and serves on the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Eggs ‘N Issues Committee.

Cheryl is a co-founder and helped launch the 51%, bourbon’s better half, in 2015. A social club for women who enjoy bourbon, the founders of the 51% plan unique events for women to learn about bourbon, network and meet women who are leaders in the spirits industry.

Cheryl is an alumna of Leadership Kentucky and graduated from GP Elevate, an executive leadership development program run by Gilman Partners, one of the largest executive search firms in the Cincinnati region, in February 2025. A graduate of Indiana University, Cheryl earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Bachelor of Arts in Spanish.