Sunshine Matters

I’m proud to announce that VISIT FLORIDA’s President and CEO Chris Thompson has been selected by Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) as one of the “Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing” for 2009.  The seventh annual list recognizes the “best of the best” in the hospitality, travel and tourism industries.  The recipients are being honored during a private ceremony tonight preceding the organization’s annual Adrian Awards Gala at the New York Marriott Marquis, and will also be recognized on-stage at the Gala.

The 2009 “Top 25” recipients were judged by a panel of senior industry executives for their recent work based on the following criteria: creativity and innovation; cutting edge sales or marketing campaigns; triumph in challenging situations; and sales efforts that resulted in dramatic gains.

Thompson has over thirty years of professional experience, including twenty seven years in tourism at the state and local levels.  His tourism career began with the Division of Tourism in the former Florida Department of Commerce in April 1983, and he was appointed Bureau Chief over Domestic Tourism in April 1986.  In November 1988, Thompson was appointed the first Executive Director of the Leon County Tourist Development Council, adding the position of President and CEO of the Tallahassee Area Convention and Visitors Bureau in April 1991.  In August 1995, he founded MarketServe, Inc., a professional management, marketing and planning services company based in Tallahassee, Florida.  Thompson joined VISIT FLORIDA in December 1997 as Senior Vice President Partner Development and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in May 2003.  He was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in May 2009.

“The Top 25 is a ‘hot list’ that celebrates the sales and marketing leaders and innovators of our industry,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI. “The creative strategies, passionate dedication and sharp intelligence of these professionals have not only made a difference within their organizations, but have also truly raised the bar for the hospitality industry as a whole.”

In a prepared statement, Thompson shared that he is “incredibly honored and proud to have been recognized by my peers as well as endorsed by HSMAI by being named to such a prestigious list.  He has also said, “I assure you this honor would not have been possible without the dedication and creativity of the VISIT FLORIDA staff and our Partner-driven leadership team, so it is with great humility that I accept this award on behalf of the VISIT FLORIDA family and the entire Florida tourism industry.”