HONOLULU
The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) is pleased to announce Tom Mullen has joined the organization in the newly created position of senior vice president and chief operating officer. He began work on Sept. 1, replacing Wayne Arita, HVCB’s chief financial officer, who retired in September.
In his new role, Mullen will be responsible for finance and corporate services, contract compliance, business development and travel industry partnerships.
Most recently, Mullen held the position of chief administrative officer with the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board. Prior to that, he worked for American Express for 27 years, spending most of that time in Hawaii holding multiple positions including vice president of sales and account development merchant services, general manager/director for merchant/travel services, and manager of business development and strategic planning.
“We are very excited to have Tom join our team with his years of experience and proven track record of success in the industry,” said John Monahan, HVCB president and CEO. “He is well versed in convention and visitors bureau operations, well regarded in the local community, and has been involved in many events and charitable functions across the state. He will be invaluable in helping us achieve our goals and objectives.”
During his tenure with American Express in Hawaii, Mullen sat on the HVCB Board of Directors from 2004 to 2013, serving on the executive committee from 2005 to 2007, and as its chairman from 2006 to 2008. He also chaired the HVCB’s North American Marketing Committee from 2000 to 2006. Mullen graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
“I’m excited to be to returning to the Hawaiian Islands and utilizing the knowledge I’ve gained over the last eight years to have a positive impact on tourism and the economy of Hawaii,” Mullen said.
