Visit Anaheim announced that Mike Waterman will take on the role of president and CEO of the organization effective April 29.
Waterman has over 30 years of hospitality and leadership experience, having previously served as chief sales officer at Visit Orlando, president and CEO of Visit Houston and as a vice president of sales for Mariott International’s western region.
“Mike brings extensive experience and a long history of leadership, innovation and success in the hospitality and tourism industry, making him the ideal candidate to guide our organization into the future,” said Fred Brown, chairman of the Visit Anaheim Board of Directors in a press release. “We are very excited to welcome Mike and look forward to working alongside him to benefit the residents and businesses of Anaheim and the surrounding region.”
As president and CEO, Waterman will lead the strategic vision behind Visit Anaheim and will be responsible for developing and overseeing Visit Anaheim’s efforts to draw conventions and visitors to the Anaheim area.
“I am honored and excited to accept this amazing opportunity,” said Waterman in a press release. “My wife and I raised our family in Southern California and are very much looking forward to this next chapter. I am eager to work with the talented Visit Anaheim team and its local stakeholders to fulfill our mission and create new economic opportunities for the community.”
Waterman succeeds previous Visit Anaheim leader Jay Burress, who resigned in November 2023 amid accusations he was part of an illegal effort to steer $1.5 million in COVID Relief Funds to an Anaheim Chamber of Commerce non-profit at the direction of then-Mayor Harry Sidhu and former Anaheim Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Ament. Both Sidhu and Ament pleaded guilty to a variety of federal crimes.
