Richard Doucette has resigned from his post as executive director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) after less than six months on the job. A long-time friend of Gov. Charlie Baker, who appointed him to the post, Doucette “has chosen to resign,” sources told the State House News Service in Boston, describing the action as a “personal decision.” Doucette joined the Baker after having served in some of Boston’s largest advertising firms, including Hill Holiday and Arnold. He has known Baker personally since the governor ran for local office in their hometown of Swampscott in 2004.
Chris Baum was fired from his post as president and CEO of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority by the group’s board of directors in a 5-2 vote. Baum was in the first year of a three-year renewed contract. Apparently, some key CVA board members did not believe he had done enough to raise the destination’s profile and develop a strategy for long-term growth. Baum came to Reno in December 2011 from the Detroit Metro CVB, where he was senior vice president of sales and marketing.
Kane Webb of Little Rock, a senior adviser to Gov. Asa Hutchinson, will succeed Richard Davies as executive director of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism on Dec. 1, the governor announced Thursday. Webb will succeed Richard Davies, who is retiring, effective Nov. 30, after spending more than 40 years with the department. He became executive director in 1990 when then-Gov. Bill Clinton appointed him. Before joining the Hutchinson administration, Webb worked as an editorial writer for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, editorial director for the Democrat-Gazette special publications and editor in chief of Louisville Magazine.
Tom Mullen has left the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board to join the Hawai’i Visitors and Convention Bureau as the company’s senior vice president, a role newly created. He will also serve as chief operating officer. Mullen had been with the Los Angeles agency for two years. Before that, he had spent more than 20 years with American Express Travel Related Services, Inc. lastly as vice president, sales and account development, merchant services America. He also served as chairman of the board of directors for the L.A. Tourism and Convention Board from July 2008 to June 2013.
Neckermann Reisen, Thomas Cook’s top German brand, has a new logo featuring the group’s ‘sunny heart’ image instead of the former large “N.” (CEO Stefanie Berk with new logo at left.) The new logo will be used not only in Germany but also in Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary. The well-known “Neckermann macht’s möglich” slogan (“Neckermann makes it possible”) remains.
Carol Wallace, CEO of the San Diego Convention Center Corp., has announced that she will leave her position at the end of this year but will stay on as a consultant for one more year, ending what will be a 25-year tenure with the center. Outgoing Convention Center Corp. Board Chairman Steve Cushman said Wednesday he has been asked by the board to lead a search committee that will look for Wallace’s replacement.
