Destinations International (DI) has announced its 2022 Hall of Fame Inductees and Destination Organization Leadership Award recipients.
“These leaders have made tremendous contributions to our industry and their respective destinations,” said President and CEO of Destinations International Don Welsh. “These visionaries have been responsible for the evolution of our industry and have had a profound impact on its healthy future. Thank you to the Destinations International Awards Committee for their hard work and dedication in naming this year’s Hall of Fame and Destination Organization Leadership Award recipients.”
DI’s Hall of Fame was created and designed to recognize those who’ve positively changed destination and travel marketing and management, made significant contributions to the industry. This year, DI updated its Hall of Fame criteria, now there are three inductee categories as opposed to one (details here), and Destination Organization Leadership Award criteria, now there is more than one recipient of the Destination Organization Leadership Award (details here).
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The Destination Organization Leadership Award highlights those who have significantly impacted the destination organization industry and well as their local community. Find DI’s 2022 inductees and recipients below.
Hall of Fame Inductees
Modern Era Inductees:
- Greg Ortale, former president and CEO of Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Paul Astleford, former president and CEO of Visit Jacksonville
- Reyn Bowman, former president and CEO of Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Robert “Bob” Lander, former president and CEO of Visit Austin
- Shelly Green, CDME, former president and CEO of Discover Durham
Development Era Inductees:
- William “Bill” McGowan, former president and CEO of Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association
- Charles Lapointe, former president of Tourisme Montreal
- Major J. Gordon Smith, former director of the British Columbia Government Travel Bureau
Industry Contributor Inductees:
- Anne and Ross Heller, publishers and executive editors of USAE Weekly Newspaper
- Christine “Shimo” Shimasaki, CDME, CMP, managing director of 2Synergize
Destination Organization Leadership Award Recipients:
- Bonnie Quill, CDME, president and CEO, Mat-Su Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Marc Garcia, CATP, president and CEO, Visit Mesa
- Martha Sheridan, president and CEO, Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau
