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GREATER BIRMINGHAM CVB WELCMES NEW PRESIDENT DAN WILLIAMS Following an extensive national search, the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau (GBCVB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dan Williams as its next President and Chief Executive Officer. Williams officially assumed the role in June. Williams joins the GBCVB from E x p e r i e n c e Columbus, where he served as Chief Sales Officer. With more than 27 years of expe- rience in the tourism and hospitality indus- try, he brings a strong track record of driving visitation, strengthen- ing destination brand- ing, and leading high- performing teams. "We are thrilled to welcome Dan as the next President and CEO of the Greater B i r m i n g h a m Convention & Visitors Bureau," said Bill Murray, Chair of the GBCVB Board of Directors. "After a comprehensive national search, it was clear that his energy, strategic vision, and deep under- standing of destination marketing make him the right leader at the right time. We're confident that, under his leadership, Birmingham will continue to grow as a premier destination for meetings, events and tourism. The future is bright for the tourism industry in the Greater Birmingham Region." As Chief Sales Officer of Experience Columbus since 2015, Williams has led the organization's convention sales and services teams, spearheading initiatives that produced record-setting growth in meetings and conventions. Prior to that, he served as Vice President of Sales at Destination Cleveland, helping drive sig- nificant gains in group business and citywide engagement. "I am extremely excited for this new endeavor and honored to lead the tourism efforts for Birmingham and Jefferson County," said Williams. "The momentum here is tangible, and I look for- ward to building on the outstanding foundation and impact that John and the GBCVB team have established." Williams is an active member of Destinations International, the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), and the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners (NCBMP). N E W S M A K E R S 8 B M & T ••• July/August 2025 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com SAVANNAH CONVENTION CENTER WELCOMES FREDIA BRADY AS NEW SENIOR DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING The Savannah Convention Center is proud to announce the appointment of industry veteran Fredia M. Brady as Senior Director of Sales & Marketing. A familiar face in the region, Brady returns to the facility she helped open and previously led in the same capacity until 2017. Brady brings more than 30 years of expe- rience in venue man- agement, hotel and convention sales, and business develop- ment. She returns to Savannah following a highly successful tenure as General Manager of the W i l m i n g t o n Convention Center in North Carolina, where she led the As President and CEO, he will oversee all strategic operations of the GBCVB, with a focus on positioning Birmingham as a premier destination for leisure travel, meetings, conventions and sporting events. Williams succeeds John Oros, who is retiring after leading the GBCVB since 2015. Under Oros's leadership, the Greater Birmingham Region experienced unprecedented growth as a visi- tor destination, with the tourism industry generating a record $2.52 billion in economic impact and supporting 51,550 jobs in 2023 — representing a 48% increase in economic impact and 24% increase in jobs since 2015. The three-month national search was led by the GBCVB Board of Directors in partnership with Searchwide Global, an execu- tive search firm specializing in travel, tourism and hospitality. Williams will become the seventh leader of the organization since its founding in 1969, following Oros (2015-2025), Jim Smither (1992-2015), Ed Hall (1986-1992), Eddie Webster (1977-1986), David Tester (1971-1977), and Sam Tannahill (1969-1971).