JoElle Clayton Murray Hurns

December 29, 1965 – November 11, 2025

    JoElle Clayton Murray Hurns devoted nearly four decades of her professional life to the Colorado River Valley, leaving a lasting legacy in Laughlin through public service, economic development, tourism promotion, and nonprofit leadership.

    She first moved to the region in 1986 as a young news reporter, quickly becoming part of the fabric of the community. From those early years forward, Laughlin remained central to her life and work, even during periods when family responsibilities took her elsewhere.

    She moved from media to the hospitality industry in 1990 and despite holding demanding full-time positions in resort marketing, JoElle found time to volunteer extensively with the Laughlin Chamber of Commerce, serving on committees, assisting with events, and lending her communications expertise wherever it was needed. Her commitment to community service was recognized in 1996, when she was named Laughlin Chamber Volunteer of the Year—an honor that reflected both her work ethic and her deep belief in giving back.

    That dedication to service naturally led to her entry into elected office. JoElle served two elected terms on the Laughlin Town Advisory Board (1996–2000), working closely with Clark County commissioners, county staff, and regional partners on issues affecting local businesses, economic development, infrastructure planning, and social services. As an elected advisory board member, she was known for her collaborative leadership style, deep institutional knowledge, and unwavering commitment to representing the interests of Laughlin residents in county decision-making processes.

    She served nearly ten years as Executive Director of the Laughlin Chamber of Commerce, becoming the organization’s second executive director following the retirement of its founding leader, Ted Finneran. When JoElle assumed leadership, the Laughlin Chamber of Commerce was still a young organization that had taken shape in the mid-980s, during a period of extraordinary growth for the community. In 1980, Laughlin’s population stood at just 80 residents, and as recently as 1984 the town had only six small casinos and roughly 1,600 hotel rooms. Between 1985 and 1990, five major resort properties were built and others expanded, transforming Laughlin almost overnight into a nationally recognized gaming and tourism destination with nearly 10,000 hotel rooms and world-class resorts.

    That explosive growth created the need for a separate, Laughlin-focused chamber of commerce. Previously, local business interests had been represented by the Bullhead City Chamber, an arrangement that no longer reflected the scale, complexity, or distinct economic needs of Laughlin’s resort-driven economy. The formation of an independent Laughlin Chamber marked a pivotal moment in the community’s civic development.

    Under JoElle’s steady leadership from 1997 through 2006, the Chamber evolved from a fledgling organization into a respected and influential voice for local business and tourism. Over the course of nearly a decade, she guided the organization through its formative years, strengthening its credibility, expanding its regional influence, and helping define its long-term role in economic development and destination marketing. Her length of service ultimately made her the longest-serving executive director in the Chamber’s history to date, reflecting both her effectiveness and the confidence placed in her by successive boards of directors.

    During this period, she helped shape the Chamber into a central force for business advocacy, tourism and infrastructure development, and regional collaboration. Her work included managing nationally televised events, leading economic development initiatives, advocating for transportation and recreational improvements, authoring grant proposals and policy papers, and working with local, state, and federal agencies on issues of regional importance.

    Among her signature achievements was the creation of the Laughlin Chamber’s Community Achievement Awards, a program she imagined and instituted to recognize outstanding service, leadership, and volunteerism. Marking its 29th year in 2026, the awards remain one of Laughlin’s longest-running traditions honoring community excellence. In recognition of her own service, JoElle received the Spirit of the Colorado River Award in 2001 and was named Laughlin Chamber Life Member of the Year in 2006.

    Through her leadership roles in both resort management and the Chamber, JoElle was instrumental in the founding of the Laughlin Tourism Commission, working closely with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to elevate Laughlin’s profile as a stand-alone vacation destination. These cooperative marketing efforts — funded by a consortium of Laughlin resorts and bed-tax revenue allocated by LVCVA — helped bring major regional and national events to the community, including high-purse PRCA rodeos, SCORE off-road racing events, the multi-year Riverflight Hot Air Balloon Festival, and innovative promotions such as an attempt to set a world record for the World’s Longest Line Dance, connected with an event called “Hands Across The River.” and linking both states with people down the length of Casino Drive and across the Laughlin Bridge.

    She also chaired and supported committees that produced hallmark community events including Laughlin River Days parades, Formula One speedboat races, and related celebrations, strengthening both tourism and community identity.

    Another enduring contribution was her early involvement in the Colorado River Heritage Greenway Trails, a multi-jurisdictional project that began during her tenure at the Laughlin Chamber. JoElle played a key role in early planning, stakeholder coordination, public outreach, and grant development—efforts that ultimately helped transform the project into a major recreational and economic asset for the region.

    Beyond Laughlin, JoElle helped found the United Way of the Colorado River Region, serving on its board for nearly 15 years and helping establish a coordinated framework for addressing health and human service needs across the tri-state area. Her nonprofit leadership also included long-term service on the board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colorado River, where she supported operations, fundraising, and community outreach.

    JoElle also served for five years as a Management Analyst for Clark County in Laughlin (2006–2010), where her responsibilities included public relations, media relations, website management, grant writing, and support for economic development initiatives and parks and trails projects.

    Earlier in her career, she worked in local media and broadcasting, followed by leadership roles in resort and casino marketing, public relations, and player development during its fledgling years as it moved from paper to electronic monitoring.

    She was especially proud to have worked closely with Don Laughlin, first in marketing roles at the Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino and later through her leadership at the Laughlin Chamber and her service on regional committees. She deeply respected his vision for sLaughlin and valued the opportunity to contribute to projects that helped shape the community’s identity and growth.

    JoElle also took great pride in the trust placed in her by senior resort executives and often spoke with gratitude about the time, guidance, and leadership they invested in her professional development. She believed strongly that great leaders had a responsibility to mentor others and share hard-earned experience and she paid it forward my mentoring numerous future leaders during her years here.

    During six years in marketing management at Golden Nugget Laughlin, she served under the leadership of Bill Hornbuckle, now president and CEO of MGM Resorts International, and later worked closely with Tom Jenkin, a longtime senior executive at Caesars Entertainment who began his resort management career as general manager of Harrah’s Laughlin and served as president of the Laughlin Chamber board during her tenure. Both men consistently praised JoElle’s tenacity, engagement, exceptional work ethic, and sharp mind. Although she was offered senior resort management positions in Las Vegas, she chose to remain in Laughlin, always saying she never regretted that decision because her heart was here.

    In 2011, JoElle made the difficult decision to leave the Colorado River Valley to return to her native Wyoming, where she devoted herself to caring for her father, who suffered a stroke. Following his passing in 2017, she began the process of returning south, spending time in Phoenix where her mother and extended family live while she searched for a way back to the community she considered her true home.

    She returned to the region in 2019, taking on leadership of the Bullhead Area Chamber of Commerce, reaffirming her commitment to community service and regional collaboration. She served in player development management at Laughlin’s Golden Entertainment properties and worked in grants administration for the Colorado River Union High School District, continuing her dedication to public service by helping support educational programs and funding initiatives that benefited local students. In 2023, serious health challenges requiring specialized medical care ultimately led her back to Phoenix, where she had family support.

    First and foremost, JoElle was a devoted and loving mother. Providing a stable and supportive home for her son, Paul Owen, mattered more to her than titles or accolades. Paul Owen grew up in the community where he was born, developing an early love of engine, building cars and racing at Mohave Valley Raceway alongside his father. After graduating, he joined the U.S. Army, where he has since served as a helicopter mechanic. While stationed in Germany, he met his beautiful wife, Maddy, and they now live in Kentucky, where he’s stationed at Fort Campbell. The couple are joyfully anticipating the birth of JoElle’s first grandchild, a baby boy to be named Paul James Hurns, expected on Valentine’s Day.

    Her unexpected passing at the age of 59 has left a profound void for those who loved her most, including her mother Susan Murray; her sister, Wendie Payne; her brother, Jory Wantulok; her son, Paul Owen Hurns; and her daughter-in-law, Maddy Hurns; as well as for the countless friends, colleagues, and community members whose lives were better because she was part of this place.

    Although Murray was not her birth surname, JoElle was known professionally for many years as JoElle Murray, a name she chose in honor of her beloved stepfather, Owen Murray, who played a central role in her life and preceded her in death. Following her marriage, she became JoElle Hurns, but she continued to carry the Murray name as a reflection of family, respect, and the values that guided her life and work.