David Whitaker to Head the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau
The Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) has announced that David Whitaker will become the next President and CEO of the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Greater Miami and Miami Beach.
The appointment is a homecoming for Whitaker, who served on the GMCVB team for 17 years (1990-2007) as part of the executive staff of the United Way of Miami-Dade and in his most recent role as Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer. Organization Marketing.
Whitaker initially left Miami in 2007 due to his appointment as President and CEO of Tourism Toronto, now known as Destination Toronto, (Toronto DMO), where he led the organization for eight years.
At the end of his Toronto administration and for the past five years, Whitaker has served as President and CEO of Choose Chicago (Chicago DMO). During his tenure, he was responsible for promoting and selling the largest convention center in the United States, McCormick Place. In addition, under his leadership, the DMO was able to host an NBA and MLS All-Star Game, the First International Laver Cup North American Tennis Tournament, an NCAA Frozen Four, and numerous international soccer and rugby events.
David Whitaker was selected after an exhaustive six-month nationwide executive search conducted by a 14-member selection committee made up of local business and community leaders reflecting ethnic, racial, gender and sexual orientation diversity. Miami-Dade County, as well as the diversity of certain Miami-Dade County trades and industries, particularly the hospitality industry.
The next President and CEO of the DMO, will formally assume his position, effective August 16, 2021, and is expected to be formally presented to the community at large at the annual meeting of the GMCVB, to be held in October 2021.
Bill Talbert, the current chairman of the GMCVB, is expected to continue working in an advisory capacity until October 2022 to support Whitaker on transition issues.
