KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Visit KC announced today its 2024 Board of Directors, swearing in new and continuing members at the group’s first meeting of the year.
Stacey Paine, President of Crown Center Redevelopment Corp., steps into the Board Chair position after previously serving as Treasurer. Brian Johnson, Managing Director of Loews Kansas City Hotel, assumes the Vice Chair role following prior service as Secretary.
Paine and Johnson are joined by three additional members who will serve as officers: George Guastello, President & CEO, Union Station Kansas City (Secretary), Mike Cappo, Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP (Treasurer), and Adam Miller, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, American Century Investments (At-Large). Each of the three new officers brings previous service as a Visit KC board member.
“From sporting events with global audiences to a robust lineup of groups at the Kansas City Convention Center, tourism brings new visibility and economic opportunity to our region,” said Mayor Quinton Lucas. “The individuals I have appointed to the Visit KC Board of Directors have a remarkable amount of expertise and passion to contribute as we continue pursuing innovative strategies for travel that will benefit our visitors and local community.”
Through recognition from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other leading publications, Visit KC has begun the year with collection of notable accomplishments in strengthening Kansas City’s place as a first-rate tourism destination. The organization’s Board of Directors engage the professional experience of leaders across a variety of related industries to provide further guidance in Visit KC’s functional areas of convention sales & services, marketing & communications, partnerships & events, and finance & administration.
“After a historic series of achievements in 2023, this year is poised to deliver even more victories for Kansas City,” said Kathy Nelson, Visit KC President & CEO. “As an engine for economic growth through business and leisure travel, Visit KC works tirelessly to position our region as a vibrant, welcoming and hospitable community. I am confident in the counsel of our board members as we capitalize upon the many opportunities in store over the months ahead.”
The organization’s 2024 Board of Directors is composed of 11 civic and business leaders from the greater Kansas City area. Appointments are made by the City of Kansas City, Mo., and existing Visit KC board members.
Voting members are joined by 11 ex-officios. These non-voting representatives serve to provide additional professional guidance for the organization from a variety of tourism-related industries.
“A thriving tourism industry is essential to our city’s economic vitality and overall reputation on a national and international scale,” said Stacey Paine, 2024 Visit KC Board Chair. “We are eager to draw on the expertise and committed leadership of these individuals in order to continue Kansas City’s tremendous momentum as a destination for leisure travelers, meetings and events.”
2024 Visit KC Board of Directors
Leadership
Chair – Stacey Paine, President, Crown Center Redevelopment Corp.*
Vice Chair – Brian Johnson, Managing Director, Loews Kansas City Hotel*
Secretary – George Guastello, President & CEO, Union Station Kansas City*
Treasurer – Mike Cappo, Partner, Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP†
At-Large – Adam Miller, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, American Century Investments†
Members
Dr. DeAngela Burns Wallace, CEO, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation*
Tyler Enders, Co-Owner, Made in KC*
David Lopez, General Manager, Manny’s Mexican Restaurant*
Quinton Lucas, Mayor, City of Kansas City, Mo.†
Brian Platt, City Manager, City of Kansas City, Mo.†
Anne Scharf, Vice President, Community Impact and Civic Affairs, Kansas City Chiefs†
*Appointed by Visit KC Board of Directors
†Appointed by City of Kansas City, Mo.
Ex-Officios
Cindy Circo, Director, Contact & Business Care, Evergy**
Melissa Cooper, Aviation Director, City of Kansas City, Mo.
Kimiko Gilmore, Deputy City Manager, Convention & Entertainment Facilities, City of Kansas City, Mo.
Amy Jordan-Wooden, President & CEO, AJW Consulting
Buddy Lahl, Executive Director, Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association
Pat Macdonald, Director, Strategic Ventures & Operations, Healthcare Institute for Innovations in Quality
Derek McCann, Managing Director, Kansas City Marriott Downtown
Andrea O’Hara, Executive Director, Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City
Kevin Pistilli, President, Raphael Hotel Group**
Jeanette Prenger, Founder & CEO, ECCO Select Corporation**
CiCi Rojas, President, Tico Productions & Tico Sports**
**Past Visit KC Board Chair
About Visit KC
Headquartered in Downtown Kansas City, Visit KC is the chief hospitality sales and marketing organization for the region. With a mission of creating global passion for Kansas City, Visit KC collaborates with nearly 1,000 community partners to drive the marketing, sales and service of the destination’s convention and tourism industry—a sector that supports more than 41,000 local jobs. For more information about Kansas City, go to VisitKC.com.
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