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New Police Chief and Chamber of Commerce President
Put-in-Bay Swears in New Police Chief
COURTESY OF PUT-IN-BAY DAILY: The Village of Put-in-Bay has officially sworn in Mike Dillon as its new Police Chief, welcoming a familiar face and full-time island resident into the role.
Dillon brings more than 24 years of law enforcement experience to the position. He spent 20 years with the Whitehall Police Department in Franklin County and most recently served approximately four years with the Pataskala Police Department in Licking County.
Dillon and his family have longstanding ties to Put-in-Bay. They purchased their home on the island in 2019 and began spending time here part-time before moving to the island full-time in the summer of 2023. He and his wife, Erin, are raising their son, Landon, on the island, where he attends school.
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Statement From Mayor Judy Berry
In a statement provided to Put-in-Bay Daily, Put-in-Bay Mayor Judy Berry said the Village is looking ahead with confidence.
“The Village is pleased to welcome our new police chief, Mike Dillon. We are committed to working together with him to support public safety and community trust. We wish him success as he leads and serves our community.”
Dillon said he is excited to step into the role and continue serving the place his family now calls home.
“One thing I want residents to know is how much I enjoy being part of this island community and how excited I am to serve my community as chief,” he said.
Welcome New Chamber of Commerce President
The Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Renee Fultz as the new Chamber President for 2026.
Renee has served on the Chamber Board for the past four years and steps into this role following the leadership of outgoing president Brian Cultice. We thank Brian for his dedication and service and look forward to continuing that momentum under Renee’s leadership.
A full-time island resident since 2019, Renee is the Director of the Nature & Wildlife Center and has lifelong ties to the Lake Erie Islands. Her family has owned a cottage on Middle Bass Island since 1990, and she spent many summers working and building connections throughout the island community. Today, she calls South Bass Island home with her husband, island musician and EMT Lucas Guy, and their daughter, Lilly.
2026 putinbayohio.com’s Best Places To Stay!
- Island Club Rentals (islandclub.com) – 216-898-9951
- Commodore Resort (commodoreresort.com) – 419-285-3101
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- Put-in-Bay Condos (putinbaycondos.com) 216-898-1105
- Victory Station Hotel (putinbayvictorystation.com) 419-285-0120
Renee's Chamber Agenda
As Chamber President, Renee is focused on supporting members, strengthening collaboration, and continuing to promote Put-in-Bay as a fun, welcoming, and safe destination for visitors. One of her initial priorities is encouraging members to take advantage of the Chamber’s new online Community Event Calendar, which helps visitors discover events, live music, and activities while planning their trips. She is also interested in exploring ways to improve internal event coordination among island organizations and businesses.
Renee welcomes ideas, questions, and conversation and can be reached at renee@visitputinbay.com.
The previous piece is published in this month’s Put-in-Bay Gazette. The Gazette has been producing incredible independent Put-in-Bay island news for over 40 years. If you have any interest at all in what is happening on South Bass Island, we urge you strongly to subscribe to the Put-in-Bay Gazette. One-year online subscriptions are only $15, and print subscriptions are available as well. To subscribe please visit the Put-in-Bay Gazette subscription form. This piece of Put-in-Bay journalism has been provided to putinbayohio.com courtesy of the Put-in-Bay Gazette, Put-in-Bay’s only local newspaper. Visit their website putinbay.news for more information and to subscribe!
