Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1511108
learning at Amazon Web Services; and Clarence Anthony, CEO and executive director of the National League of Cities. Before taking on his current role, Dunn was responsible for the multicultural mar- ket for Visit Cincy, serving as its first Black vice president. Under his leadership, Cincinnati landed its largest convention in 18 years, the African Methodist Episcopal Church's 52nd Quadrennial Session that will take place in 2024. He is applying some of the same cre- dos and business prin- ciples that guided his success at Visit Cincy to his job as head of NCBMP. "My brand promise is that I understand the power of relation- ships that convert to partnerships that ulti- mately become friend- ships," Dunn says. "That has been a significant guide or pathway for me, because it is rooted in trust." He also believes that a leader must be able to relate to people at every level, from hourly employees to busi- ness owners to customers. "If you give respect, you'll get respect, and there is more opportunity to do busi- ness that way," he says. While those philosophies are equally relevant in his current job and his previous one, he also notes an important distinction between the two roles. "It's new for me because I have been a supplier for 20 years," Dunn says. "To shift the thinking now to be an association executive is a little different." When Dunn considers how the hospitality industry's recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic is faring, he says it looks different depending on how you're measuring the progress. "If your metrics are the mental health and the human side of that question, I would say that we are still behind," he says. "There are many people who are depressed right now, who are going through mental trau- ma." He points to the fact that many in the industry are still out of work, while others are working longer hours and feeling less appre- ciated. On the other hand, some destina- tions and hospitality- related organizations are doing well finan- cially after finding ways to cut costs. Dunn says NCBMP conferences offer respite and renewal for hospitality profession- als who are experienc- ing tough times. "You can relax because you're around family," he says. "I have been a witness of the rejuvenation that comes from being in the presence of our membership – whether it's for a cou- ple of hours or three or four days. People leave our conference inspired, enthused and ready to recommit to whatever their personal stories or goals are." Dunn's own personal story includes his 22-year mar- riage to Tiffany Johnson-Dunn, a certified registered nurse anesthetist. The couple have a daughter at Spelman College and a 9-year-old son. When they trav- el together for leisure, Dunn – a fan of active recreation- al travel – says his wife's preference for relaxing on the beach usually prevails. Family trips might cater to his son's love of professional sports events or his daughter's interest in visiting sites that commemorate political his- tory. The family also has traveled to several basilicas around the world, fascinated by the architecture of these religious structures. Dunn notes that he and his wife are always mindful of an important lesson they want to pass on to their children. "We both come from [families that are] very rooted in tradition, very rooted in our own cultures," he says. "We try to find ways to express to our children the power that lies within them." 31 B M & T ••• November/December 2023 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com "You can relax because you're around family," he says. "I have been a witness of the rejuvenation that comes from being in the presence of our membership – whether it's for a couple of hours or three or four days. People leave our conference inspired, enthused and ready to recommit to whatever their personal stories or goals are."