How will your time at the Department of Business Professional Regulation (DPBR) translate in your new role with VISIT FLORIDA?
For six years, I ran the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, during which time I oversaw 1,600 employees. At DPBR, it was my department’s responsibility to streamline the licensing process for many of Florida’s businesses and professionals, including those in the hospitality industry, such as hotels and restaurants. We were also responsible for enforcing rules with a strong but fair hand.
Those skills will help me in my role as president & CEO at VISIT FLORIDA. It is my job to show public officials and residents the effectiveness of VISIT FLORIDA’s work and the importance of tourism to the state’s economy. We will do this by operating in an open and transparent manner, as well as measuring all of our campaigns and programs to prove the return on investment they bring to the state as a revenue generator.
What do you want people in the meetings industry to know about you and what you plan to bring to your new role?
I am committed to the continued growth of travel and tourism in the state of Florida. In 2015, the domestic meetings visitor spent $277 per person per day, $130 more per day than leisure travelers. These numbers demonstrate the value of the meetings market and the value of tourism. As the new president and CEO, I will continue to advocate on behalf of the industry and work with travel professionals from around the state to make Florida the No. 1 travel destination in the world.
Are you from Florida?
I am a native Floridian and a proud graduate of Florida State University. Although Tallahassee is my home, I hold a special place in my heart for Gainesville, which is where I was raised, and Tampa, which is where I spent a large part of my professional career.
What is your favorite weekend getaway in the state, and favorite activities?
As a movie buff, I love visiting Universal Studios in Orlando. One of my all-time favorite actors is Samuel L. Jackson, who appeared in the original Jurassic Park film, so I like to ride the River Adventure through Jurassic Park.
As a former U.S. Marine, I’m always down for a little adventure. Florida has so many natural wonders, including the springs and caverns found in the state’s parks. I love to go hiking at Torreya State Park in Liberty County and tubing down the Ichetucknee River in Columbia County.
What areas will you concentrate on since Florida has had five years of record visitation? How do you keep the momentum going?
Florida tourism has seen record visitation, visitor spending and tourism-related employment. This success is the direct result of smart marketing programs that VISIT FLORIDA and industry partners have implemented around the world.
We will continue to develop award-winning campaigns that maximize partners’ dollars and ultimately drive visitation and spend in Florida.
What are you looking forward to most working at VISIT FLORIDA?
I am looking forward to leading my dynamic VISIT FLORIDA work family. I am grateful to each of them for helping me hit the ground running and I am incredibly impressed with the level of talent and commitment they bring to their positions.
I am also excited to meet with the 12,000 industry partners from around the state. Like the Marines, the travel community knows how to work together to accomplish a goal, which is to maximize the economic impact on Florida by reaching $130 billion in tourism-related spend by 2020.