TENTATIVE SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULE
Subject to change
Monday, February 1
3:40 PM - 4:00 PM
Welcome and Introductions
Maura Gast, Irving CVB Executive Director (and our official emcee), will introduce our experts, our attendees and our guests, setting the stage for an incredible conference experience.
4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
The DMO Board Imperative
Just as the role that DMOs play in our communities has evolved, so has the role of the Boards that lead and govern them. To kick off the Symposium, sector consultant and author Bill Geist will chronicle that evolution and explain how Board Leadership must elevate the impact and significantly underpin the relevance of today’s DMO. Among the topics to be covered:
The importance of Purpose, Vision, Mission, Values, Stewardship and Advocacy
Why Community Influence is the primary currency of today’s best Boards
The critical need for Board cohesion into today’s volatile environment
That DMO CEOs can take Destination Development only so far; it’s the Board that brings it home (or starts the ball rolling…or is the first follower for a stellar idea).
The Role of the Board vs. the Role of the CEO … whose job is it?
4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Meet and Greet Reception
Weather permitting, step out onto the Terrace to mix and mingle, enjoying the conversation with all of our attendees (and your peers) from across North America.
Tuesday, February 2
7:30 AM - 8:10 AM
Breakfast Buffet
Fuel up and get ready for a jam-packed couple of days.
8:15 AM - 9:00 AM
Limiting Liability, Liquidity, & Legal Issues
To continue to strengthen and stay competitive in the tourism industry, DMO leaders and Board members need to become knowledgeable in sustainable funding, advocacy, public policy and compliance. John Lambeth will impart vital information on topics such as:
Board Planning for Diversifying and Stabilizing Funding
Strategies for Working with Your Board on Advocacy Issues (including funding advocacy)
Nonprofit Corporation Formation or Modification, including starting a (c)(3) Foundation
And, much much more…
9:15 AM - 10:00 AM
Finance, Accountability and Transparency
Being on a DMO Board is about more than just sales and marketing. CFO by Design’s Julie Hart will help you to learn how to fulfill your fiduciary responsibilities…while also learning about the unique financial intricacies of a DMO.
Among the areas she will cover:
Uses and restrictions on funding streams
Fiduciary responsibilities of Board officers and members
Understanding financial statements (what you should be receiving) and the purpose and limitations of audits
And…why paying closer attention to the financials is not just your responsibility as a Board member, it’s critical to avoid being front page news for all the wrong reasons.
10:15 AM - 11:30 AM
Expert-Facilitated Roundtable Discussions
In the first of our three Roundtable Discussions, we’ll break out and encourage participants to introduce themselves and then facilitate conversations in rooms specifically reserved for CEOs, Board Chairs and Board Members. In this Roundtable, we’ll divide participants by budget size. In future Roundtables, you’ll be free to join any table within the room, regardless of budget.
11:40 AM - 12:50 PM
Lunch, Live Polling and Group Discussions
Mix it up, sit with someone new and learn about the challenges and opportunities other Destination Organization Boards are facing. We have so much to share with each other.
As part of our Luncheon, we’ll ask a series of questions in which we’ll utilize live polling sofware to determine the direction of the conversations.
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM
Expert Facilitated Roundtable Discussions
Chairs: Topic > TBD
CEOs: Topic > TBD
Board Members: Topic > TBD
2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Future-Proof Leadership: Board, CEO, and Leadership Succession Planning with Cross-Generational Trust, Diversity, and Sustainable CEO Contracts
Leadership transitions and board strategy are no longer just about “who’s next.” They’re about building organizations that thrive across generations, foster diversity of thought, and sustain trust at every level. In this interactive session, Mike Gamble, Chairman & CEO, and Cambria Jones, Chief Marketing & Experience Officer of SearchWide Global, share data, insights, and real-world lessons from working with boards and CEOs across the destination and tourism industry. Together we’ll explore:
Succession Planning: Practical strategies for preparing boards and organizations for smooth leadership transitions.
Diversity & Representation: Why a well-balanced board with varied perspectives drives growth and CEO success.
Generational Trust: How leaders can build bridges across generations, creating two-way trust that fuels collaboration.
CEO Contracts & Compensation: A first look at a new report comparing CEO contracts and what it means for boards and leaders.
Walk away with actionable tools, benchmarks, and frameworks to strengthen your board, retain top talent, and set up the next generation of leadership for success.
3:30 PM - 4:15 PM
Culture, Leadership, and CEO Performance: The Board’s Blueprint for Sustainable Success
Leadership matters. Chris Ihrig will share examples of thriving Organizations that have ignited a culture of purpose and performance. A workplace where values are foundational, relationships are key, clarity of success is defined and accountability is alive. It all starts at the top.
The importance of establishing clear roles, responsibilities, and working agreements between the Board and the Team
Disciplines of a healthy and thriving workplace culture
Hiring and managing the performance of your one employee (President, CEO, ED, etc.)
4:15 PM - 5:00 PM
Fireside Chat with Don Welsh
Formerly the CEO of Choose Chicago, Visit Indy and Visit Seattle, Don Welsh is preparing to step down next year as CEO of the DMO sector’s Trade Association, Destinations International. Mike Gamble sits down with Don to reflect on the evolution of Destination Leadership from a variety of vintage points…and discuss how DI has evolved over the past decade.
Dinner with New Found Friends
Explore and enjoy the Gaslamp Quarter, complete with a variety of restaurants and entertainment options.
5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Wednesday, February 3
7:30 AM - 8:10 AM
Breakfast
More food. More conversation and networking. Maura will kick off the morning with a recap of the day before…and preview today’s content.
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
Keynote Presentation: Geoff Freeman (Invited) • CEO of the US Travel Association
It has been a strange couple years for the travel and hospitality industry, from a staggering loss of international visitation to pledged investment in America’s airport infrastructure (and everything in between). Join us for this timely session on the state of the Travel Industry with the man at the center of the industry’s Advocacy efforts, Geoff Freeman (Invited). We need each and every one of us (and especially Board members) to be involved, engaged and advocating for pro-tourism initiatives at the local, state and national level. Your voice matters. And, Geoff will share just how we do that.
Expert Facilitated Roundtable Discussions
Chairs: Topic > TBD
CEOs: Topic > TBD
Board Members: Topic > TBD
9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
11:15 AM - 12:45 PM
Closing Lunch and Discussion
We close the Symposium with our experts back up on stage to cover the topics you want to hear about before heading home.
“My board members have talked about how it was very helpful in illustrating the broader DMO landscape and the highly competitive environment we operate in. They also noted that it was helpful for them to better understand the universal challenges DMOs face.”
- Tania Armenta, Visit Albuquerque