Visit Tucson Board of Directors

Mission Statement

Visit Tucson's mission is to drive economic development by connecting visitors with their ideal travel and meeting experiences in Tucson. Visit Tucson is financially supported by the City of Tucson, Pima County, the Town of Oro Valley, and more than 400 individual and business partners. See how Tourism Powers Southern Arizona.

2020-21 Board Of Directors

Executive Committee

Nancy Kluge, Chair – President, Reid Park Zoological Society

John Denker, Vice-Chair – Associate Vice President of Marketing & Brand Management, University of Arizona

Amber Harkin, Secretary – Regional Director-Operations, Lodging Dynamics Hospitality Group

Glenn Grabski, Treasurer – General Manager, Tucson Convention Center

TJ Morgan, Member-At-Large – President & CEO, Gray Line Tours Tucson

Laura Shaw, Member-At-Large – Senior Vice President, Sun Corridor Inc.

Andrew Stegen, Member-At-Large - General Manager, Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort & Spa

Board Members

General Business

Carol Blomstrand, CEO – Trumpet Social Media

Dan Cavanagh, Consultant – Lloyd Construction

Steve Earnhart, Market President, iHeartMedia

Evan Feldhausen, Tax Shareholder – BeachFleischman

Bob Hoffman, President – Tucson Roadrunners

Hospitality/Visitor Services

Hillary Louarti, Owner, Diamond Transporation

Chris Squires, Managing Partner – Ten 55 Brewing & Sausage House

Otton Suarez, General Manager, El Conquistador Tucson, A Hilton Resort

Laura True, Owner – White Stallion Ranch

Bryan Tubaugh, Executive Vice President – Focus Hospitality

Members at Large

David Hatfield, Senior Director of Air Service Development and Marketing – Tucson Airport Authority

Amber Smith, President & CEO – Tucson Metro Chamber

Government

Elaine Becherer, Mayor's Chief of Staff - City of Tucson

Sharon Bronson, Member – Pima County Board of Supervisors, District 3

Joe Winfield, Mayor – Oro Valley Town Council

Next Board Meeting Date & Agenda

Due to COVID-19 safety protocols at this in-person meeting, only a few invited guests will be permitted to attend.  Contact Brent DeRaad  with questions.

MEETING NOTICE AND AGENDA (click here to download agenda)

Visit Tucson Board Retreat

7:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Thursday, April 22, 2021

Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort, 245 E. Ina Rd. (Sonoran Ballroom—north side of resort)

7:30-8 a.m. – Complimentary breakfast available—OPTIONAL

8:00-8:05 a.m. – Welcome (Nancy Kluge and Brent DeRaad)

8:05-8:30 a.m. – 2020-21 results, remaining priorities & 2021-22 tourism recovery plan (Brent DeRaad & Vanessa Bechtol)

8:30-9 a.m. – Restaurants & lodging discussion + Q&A (Amber Harkin, Amber Smith, Chris Squires & Andrew Stegen—discussion moderated by Felipe Garcia)

9-9:10 a.m. – Break

9:10-9:35 a.m. – Discussion between Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and Felipe Garcia regarding 2021-22 priorities and where tourism fits + Q&A

9:35-9:50 a.m. – Discussion between Oro Valley Strategic Initiatives Manager Amanda Jacobs and Brent DeRaad regarding 2021-22 priorities and where tourism fits + Q&A

9:50-10:20 a.m. – Discussion among Glenn Grabski, Bob Hoffman and Graeme Hughes regarding Tucson Convention Center enhancements, along with the status of downtown and its new hotels + Q&A (discussion moderated by Mary Rittmann & Brent DeRaad)

10:20-10:30 a.m. – Break

10:30-11:30 a.m. – Divide board into 3 groups; each group spends 20 minutes in a topic area and then rotates to the next topic area: 1) Product development: which new or enhanced products does Tucson & Southern Arizona need to attract more visitors and what role should Visit Tucson play in creating them? 2) Tourism recovery plan: What should be Visit Tucson’s top priorities for the remainder of the current fiscal year through June 30, 2022? 3) Scope: A brief overview will be provided regarded the scope of Visit Tucson’s operations.  With the organization’s budget dropping this fiscal year, and possibly again in 2021-22, which functions are most important?

11:30-11:50 a.m. – Topic area report-outs

11:50 a.m.-noon – Break

Noon-1 p.m. – Working lunch (board meeting)

1. Call to order—Nancy Kluge
2. Review/approval of consent agenda (Dec. 10 minutes & reports from EVP & CEO)—Nancy Kluge (5 minutes)
3. Review & discussion of March 2021 financial statement—Glenn Grabski and Roni Thomas (10 minutes)
4. Board nominating committee report, discussion and action—John Denker (10 minutes)
5. Review & action regarding changes to Visit Tucson’s partnership model—Vanessa Bechtol (10-15 minutes)
6. New business—Nancy Kluge (5 minutes)
7. Adjourn—Nancy Kluge
   
    

Future Board Meeting Dates

• Thursday, June 24, 2021

Board meetings will be held at 7:30 a.m. on the dates listed above.