Baltimore Convention and Tourism Board names Chuck Tildon as Chair
(Baltimore, MD – March 12, 2021) – Visit Baltimore, the official destination sales and marketing organization for Baltimore, announced today that Chuck Tildon has been appointed Chairman of the Baltimore Convention and Tourism Board (BCTB). Tildon is the current Vice President of External Affairs at University of Maryland Medical System and previously served as the Vice President of Government Relations and Strategic Partnerships at the United Way of Central Maryland.
Before assuming the role of chairman, Tildon led BCTB’s marketing and communications committee and served as vice chairman of the board. Baltimore Orioles Senior Vice President of Administration & Experience Greg Bader will assume the marketing and communications committee chair position with Sagamore Spirit Executive Vice President of Brand Marketing Marcus T. Stephens serving as co-chair.
“Tourism is a pillar for growth and an engine for not only attracting visitors but also creating opportunities for our residents, businesses, and jobs,” said Mayor M. Brandon Scott. “I welcome Chuck and know that he will be a vital asset to our board and play a key role in revitalizing our city’s tourism industry.”
“I’m very excited to take on this new role and work even closer with the Visit Baltimore and Baltimore Convention Center teams,” said Tildon. “Tourism and convention center business are essential to our local and statewide economy, and I’m eager to support these organizations as leisure travel and convention business rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Tildon will replace John Frisch, who is stepping down after more than six years as chair.
Before becoming chairman of the BCTB, Frisch served on several boards that focused on enhancing the vitality of the Baltimore region. These included the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, which he chaired from 2008 to 2013, and the Greater Baltimore Committee. Frisch served as Chairman and CEO of Miles & Stockbridge before launching his own executive leadership group, Shawan Leadership, in 2018.
“While Chuck takes on this position during unprecedented and challenging times, we’re confident that his strategic acumen, deep Baltimore roots and experience can help our industry rebound from the pandemic and achieve growth and momentum in the years ahead, “said Visit Baltimore President & CEO Al Hutchinson. “Chuck has worked extensively with our outgoing chairman John Frisch over the years, so we’re confident this will be seamless transition.
Hutchinson continued, “during his tenure, John far exceeded my expectations for what an impactful and dedicated board chair could achieve,” said Visit Baltimore President & CEO Al Hutchinson. “His passion and outstanding level of commitment to this city has helped us to strengthen our industry, especially with his advocacy for the establishment of the Baltimore Tourism Improvement District (BTID). John was also instrumental in helping Visit Baltimore identify and formalize our strategic vision and core values, and we are so grateful for his service.”
Frisch commented, “This has been an extraordinarily challenging time for the meetings and tourism industry In Baltimore, the country and the world. Visit Baltimore has been busy advocating for resources to support the industry’s recovery and to position Baltimore well for future success. As part of this effort, Al Hutchinson and the Visit Baltimore team have been instrumental in focusing on ways Baltimore’s tourism industry can extend its footprint more deeply into Baltimore’s neighborhoods as the recovery materializes. This has also included the development of a powerful new branding campaign that will serve us well in the future.” Frisch further continued, “Chuck Tildon has been engaged in a deeply hands-on way during his tenure as a board member, and his strategic marketing capabilities will be critical to our ongoing success. Among the many things he has helped Visit Baltimore with, he served on the search committee that made the very wise decision to bring Al Hutchinson to Baltimore!”
The Baltimore Convention and Tourism Board is a joint board of directors that provides oversight to both Visit Baltimore and the Baltimore Convention Center and is responsible for creating marketing and sales plans and goals that reflect the missions of both organizations.
About Visit Baltimore
Visit Baltimore is the official sales and marketing arm for the City of Baltimore. The 501(c)(6) organization generates economic benefits for stakeholders through the attraction of convention, group and leisure visitors. In 2019, spending by travelers totaled $6 billion in direct spending throughout the city, supporting 86,827 total jobs and generating $750 million in state and city tax revenues. For more information, please visit Baltimore.org.
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