California Travel Association

Visit Oxnard President and Chief Executive Officer Julie Mino Buffo will be retiring and leaving her role at the destination marketing organization, where she has served for nearly seven years Buffo’s tenure marked a transformative era for the organization, during which she led the team to achieve remarkable milestones. Among some of the most notable achievements, Buffo secured a long-term, dedicated funding source with the Oxnard Tourism Marketing District, providing a more secure stream of funding for all marketing-related initiatives and a multi-year contract with the City of Oxnard. Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement, Julie! Check out more tourism career moves in the link below. https://bit.ly/47ZjRXy

Visit Lodi has announced Wes Rhea as its new President and CEO, effective October 1. He joins Visit Lodi following 19 years leading destination marketing efforts in Stockton. With his extensive experience and expertise in destination marketing and his passion for Lodi, the Board is confident that he will be instrumental in increasing tourism to the city, both domestically and internationally. Wes looks forward to working with Lodi’s hospitality community and local stakeholders to continue building on the great work that has already been done. Congratulations on your new position, Wes! Check out more tourism career moves in the link below. https://bit.ly/47ZjRXy

Chad Reelfs is Vice President at Crimtan, a technology company that provides a comprehensive lifecycle marketing solution. Crimtan was founded with a global mission to be a trusted partner to the world’s best known brands, to make the complex world of programmatic simple, and to expertly adapt to the constantly changing digital world. Chad leads Crimtan’s Central and West Coast teams and strategic client partnerships throughout the U.S. and Canada. Welcome to CalTravel, Chad and the Crimtan team! Check out more tourism career moves in the link below. https://bit.ly/47ZjRXy

Visit Anaheim has promoted Pepe Avila to Senior Vice President of Community Relations and Partnerships. He previously served as Vice President of Tourism and Partnerships. Throughout his many years at Visit Anaheim, Pepe’s big-picture thinking, commitment to achieving results, and strong community relationships have significantly contributed to the organization's success. Congratulations on this well-deserved promotion, Pepe! Check out more tourism career moves in the link below. https://bit.ly/47ZjRXy

With Election Day coming up in just a week, we wanted to share this handy guide for all things related to casting your vote in California. View important deadlines, find ballot drop-off locations, track your ballot, and more. Don't miss the opportunity to exercise your right vote! The decisions you make on your November ballot will help shape the future of our country, the Golden State, and your local community. If you are not currently registered or you registered to vote after the close of registration, Same Day Voter Registration is available at county election offices and polling locations. Access the voting guide here: https://bit.ly/48gdSOe

San Francisco Travel Association has appointed Anna Marie Presutti as its new President and CEO. A leader in San Francisco’s tourism industry for more than 20 years—most recently as Vice President and General Manager for Hotel Nikko—she brings extensive sales and marketing experience, a deep understanding of San Francisco and San Francisco Travel, and a strong network of industry and local connections. Earlier this year, Anna Marie stepped in as interim leader at a critical time for the organization and immediately began positioning San Francisco Travel for success. She is the first female CEO in San Francisco Travel’s 115-year history. Congratulations on your new position, Anna Marie! Check out more tourism career moves in the link below. https://bit.ly/47ZjRXy

(W)right On Communications, a leading strategic communications and public relations agency, has been honored as PR Team of the Year at the PRSA San Diego / Imperial County 2024 Edward L. Bernays Awards. “Effective communication in 2024 is no small feat. It demands thoughtful strategy, bold creativity, and a dedicated team that can navigate complexity to drive results,” said Julie Wright, President of (W)right On Communications. “We’re incredibly proud of our team’s achievements and grateful to our client partners for the trust they place in us to tell their stories.” Congratulations to the dedicated team at (W)right On Communications! Read the full press release here: https://bit.ly/3Um4WRW

Earlier this month, IMEX America resumed its record-setting ways at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The four-day event drew over 15,500 attendees, more than 5,500 buyers, and resulted in 86,000 meetings and appointments—blowing past the previous record set in 2023. Last year, the event attracted approximately 15,000 attendees with 5,000 buyers. “The trajectory for the show, which reflects the industry since the pandemic, has been on a very steep climb, and that's reflected here,” said Ray Bloom, chairman and founder of IMEX Group. See the full recap here: https://bit.ly/3C6S2Re

Sam Cole is Vice President of KeenanDirect, which provides health insurance enrollment assistance for individuals and businesses who reside in California. KeenanDirect guides clients through health insurance options to find plans that fits their needs and budget, offering expertise along the way. Sam Cole has over 20 years of experience in the health insurance industry and is a recognized expert in the individual and small group benefits market. He also achieved Top 20 Broker status with the state exchange and several carriers. Welcome to CalTravel, Sam and the KeenanDirect team! Check out more tourism career moves in the link below. https://bit.ly/47ZjRXy

Tourism Economics has hired Chuck Davison as Vice President of Attribution Solutions. With more than 30 years of experience within travel industry verticals—including nearly nine years leading Visit SLO CAL—he brings a depth of knowledge and expertise to the Tourism Economics team. In his new role, he provides clients with extensive data-driven insights for business strategy and technology implementation, in addition to expanding and strengthening partnerships across the industry. Chuck is excited for the new adventure with such a well-respected and industry-leading company and team. Congratulations on your new position, Chuck! Check out more tourism career moves in the link below. https://bit.ly/47ZjRXy