Brent Haugen Appointed Executive Director of Visit Mendocino County Tourism Commission; Industry Veteran Buoys DMO's Branding/Marketing Efforts
MENDOCINO COUNTY, CA. July 27, 2016 - The Mendocino County Tourism Commission announced the appointment of Brent Haugen as Executive Director effective July 11, 2016. Haugen will be responsible for reporting to a newly-developed eleven member Board of Directors and seven sub-committees as well as supervising staff, contractors and vendors, with a $1.56 million annual budget. The non-profit organization welcomes 1.8 million visitors to Mendocino County annually.
Haugen's selection follows a five-month executive search focused on securing new leadership that will effectively increase the competitiveness of one of the nation's most majestic destinations. The Northern California region boasts 90 miles of prime Pacific coastline, 24 state/national parklands and 450+ unique accommodations threading California's Scenic Highways 1 and 101. www.VisitMendocino.com.
“With our new organization and new direction, Haugen's appointment is vital to fulfilling the potential of Mendocino County's tourism industry,” according to Board Chairman, John Kuhry. “His breadth in destination marketing coupled with creative talent and strong strategic and communication skills are critical to taking our destination to the next level.”
A 15+ year veteran of the marketing/communications industry, Haugen will be responsible for the strategic leadership of the organization's initiatives, full-time management of the business of promoting the county and directing all paid and volunteer employees, contractors and administrators. Duties also include achieving the mandated marketing and sales objectives, including development of strategic marketing programs, budgets, creative and execution while balancing the needs of the community and tourism stakeholders.
As previous Executive Director of Morro Bay Tourism Bureau, Haugen was credited with evaluating and implementing a variety of strategic programs to buoy group and leisure business, launch a cohesive digital marketing initiative and successfully collaborate with stakeholders to achieve a foothold in the competitive California tourism marketplace. Haugen has also held posts at The Vineyard Team in Atascadero, Calif., Upper Salinas Resource Conservation District in Monterey County and the Minneapolis Northwest Convention & Visitors Bureau, where he was Director of Marketing for a ten-year term.
A resident of Fort Bragg, California, he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing Management from Concordia University, St. Paul, MN., and has represented various tourism boards during his career including Visit San Luis Obispo County, Central Coast Tourism Council and the Minneapolis and St. Paul Metro Tourism Marketing Committee. He enjoys travel, art, music, theatre, movies (big movie buff), home improvement, kayaking and spending time with family and friends during his spare time.
BACKGROUND
The Mendocino County Tourism Commission, a non-profit 501 (c)(6) organization, oversees the marketing efforts and resources directed at promoting tourism to Mendocino County. Mendocino County welcomes nearly 1.8 million visitors annually who explore its 90 miles of prime Pacific coastline, 90+ wineries and 10 diverse AVAs (earning the highest percentage of organic and biodynamic vineyards in the United States), 24 state/national parklands and 450+ unique accommodations. Straddling scenic Highways 1 and 101, “The Redwood Corridor,” the County delivers an ideal vortex of waves, wines and redwoods laced with historic villages and outback adventures. Located 114 mi./184 km. north of San Francisco, the region's gateway airports are San Francisco International (SFO), Oakland International (OAK), Sacramento International Airport (SMF), and Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport (STS). Visit Mendocino County is a non-profit destination marketing organization designed to enhance the economic vitality of the community by increasing tourism revenue. For more information, go to www.visitmendocino.com.
CONTACT:
Koleen Hamblin
ko@kolicommunications.com
800.487.9057
Alison de Grassi
alison@visitmendocino.com
707.964.9010 # # #
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