Visit KC Board appoints 2017 officers, welcomes two new directors

Representatives from Kauffman Foundation, Crown Center join non-profit’s Board

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—At a recent meeting of Visit KC’s Board of Directors, the hospitality and tourism organization elected a slate of four executive officers for 2017:

  • Chairman – Kevin Pistilli, President, Raphael Hotel Group
  • Vice Chair – CiCi Rojas, President, Tico Productions & Tico Sports
  • Treasurer –  Cindy Circo, Public Affairs Manager, Kansas City Power & Light
  • Secretary –  Jeanette Prenger, President, ECCO Select Corporation

Pistilli and Prenger were reappointed to their respective positions for a second year. Rojas ascends to Vice Chair from the Treasurer position, and Circo joins the Executive Committee from the director level. Gayle Holliday, President of G&H Consulting and former Vice Chair, leaves the board after 16 years of service.

In addition to the new officer slate, the following Directors were also appointed to the Board, both serving three-year terms:

  • Gloria Jackson-Leathers, Director of Kansas City Civic Engagement, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
  • Stacey Paine, President, Crown Center Redevelopment Corp.

The organization’s Board of Directors is comprised of up to 30 civic and business leaders from the greater Kansas City area. The Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, appoints 15 members and the Visit KC Board elects up to 15 members.

2017 Visit KC Board of Directors

  • Vic Allred, President, Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen
  • Lee Barnes, Jr., Councilman, 5th District At-Large, City of Kansas City, Missouri
  • Nick Benjamin, Executive Director, The Cordish Co.
  • Bill Chapin, Senior Vice President of Business Operations, Kansas City Chiefs Football Club
  • Cindy Circo (Treasurer), Public Affairs Manager, Kansas City Power & Light
  • Dan Fowler, Councilman, 2nd District, City of Kansas City, Missouri
  • Arzelia Gates, Corporate Secretary, Gates Bar-B-Q Corp.
  • Gloria Jackson-Leathers, Director of Kansas City Civic Engagement, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
  • Bob Kendrick, President, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
  • Jenny Kincaid, Owner, Socialworx PR
  • Steve Klika, Commissioner, Third District, Johnson County
  • Mike Klingensmith, General Manager, Embassy Suites KCI
  • David Lopez, General Manager, Manny’s Mexican Restaurant
  • Riccardo Lucas, President & CEO, N.STRIDE Consulting, LLC
  • Bradley McCormack, Senior Associate, The Sader Law Firm
  • Pat Macdonald, Senior Philanthropic Advisor & Executive, Greater Kansas City Community Foundation
  • Rachel Merlo, Community Manager, Kansas City, Google
  • Stacey Paine, President, Crown Center Redevelopment Corp. 
  • Kevin Pistilli (Chair), President, Raphael Hotel Group
  • Jeanette Prenger (Secretary), President, ECCO Select Corporation
  • Clayton Reid, President, MMGY Global
  • CiCi Rojas (Vice Chair), President, Tico Productions & Tico Sports
  • Rosemary Salerno, General Manager, Zona Rosa Development, LLC
  • Troy Schulte, City Manager, City of Kansas City, Missouri
  • Jim Snow, Complex General Manager, Westin Crown Center/Sheraton KC Hotel
  • Angie Stanland, Vice President of Associate Services & Recruiting, Cerner Corporation
  • Jon Stephens, President, Rockhill Strategic
  • Keli Wenzel, President/Managing Partner, O’Neill Marketing & Event Management, Inc.
  • Randy Wisthoff, Executive Director/CEO, Kansas City Zoo
  • Amy Jordan-Wooden, President & CEO, AJW Consulting

Ex Officio Members

  • Bill George, President, Kansas City Transportation Group
  • Oscar McGaskey, Jr., Director, Convention and Entertainment Facilities, City of Kansas City, Missouri
  • Kathy Nelson, President & CEO, Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation
  • Kurt Mayo, Executive Director, Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City
  • Troy Stremming, Executive Vice President of Government Relations & Public Affairs, Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc.
  • Brenda Tinnen (Immediate Past Chair), General Manager/Senior Vice President, Sprint Center/AEG

About Visit KC
Visit KC is a non-profit organization whose mission is to ignite global passion for visiting Kansas City. Through marketing, sales and service of the convention and tourism industries, Visit KC supports a vital and growing component of the local economy—generating more than 46,000 jobs and $5.1 billion in economic impact annually. For more information about Kansas City, go to VisitKC.com.

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Media Contacts

Devin Aaron
Devin Aaron 
(National/International Media)
Visit KC
816-691-3805
daaron@visitkc.com
Makenzie Wolters
Makenzie Wolters 
(Kansas City/Regional Media)
Visit KC
816-691-3811
mwolters@visitkc.com

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