John is an accomplished destination management executive with more than 30 years of leadership in tourism marketing and community-driven economic development. As CEO of Mammoth Lakes Tourism from 2010- 2025, the organization pioneered the first-of-its-kind Tourism Business Improvement District model that extended beyond lodging to include restaurants, retailers, ski and golf resorts, boosting the DMO’s annual funding from $2 million to more than $11 million. This effort tripled Transient Occupancy Tax revenues from $10 million to nearly $30 million while elevating Mammoth Lakes into one of California’s premier year-round destinations.
As President and CEO of Visit Huntington Beach in California, John is focused on securing organizational funding through another ground-breaking model, privatization. Through privatizing the assessment, Visit Huntington Beach protects tourism funding from being diverted to city programs and focuses efforts on driving overnight visitation and guest experience.
John plays active roles with Visit California, California Travel, U.S. Travel, and Destinations International.