SearchWide Global Retained by Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and Visit Big Sky

April 16, 2021 – The non-profit Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and Visit Big Sky in Montana have retained executive recruitment firm SearchWide Global to find its next president and CEO. Search firm vice president Nicole Newman is leading the assignment. “We are actually mid-way through the search process at this point, finishing up first round of interviews this week with in-person interviews scheduled within the next two weeks,” said Ms. Newman. The CEO for Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and Visit Big Sky is responsible for the leadership and management of all daily operations of the organizations and the missions to brand, market and sell Big Sky as a destination resort. This executive reports to two entities, the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce, and the Visit Big Sky organization. The Big Sky Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit membership organization with over 400 members. Visit Big Sky is an additional non-profit designated as the official destination marketing and management organization for the Big Sky Resort Area District (BSRAD). It is also a fiscal sponsor of the state designated Big Sky Convention and Visitor Bureau (CVB), one of eight in Montana.

The CEO is accountable to both boards, the business community and the staff of Big Sky Chamber and Visit Big Sky. According to SearchWide, this executive will fulfill the responsibilities of the role through unwavering superior organizational leadership, stellar financial oversight and development, collaborative advocacy and communication, and an integral member of the boards of directors. The CEO supports key community development activities as identified by the chamber board of directors, i.e., workforce housing and transportation planning and plays a role in the growth and development of new tourism product and capabilities at the direction of the VBS board of directors. The CEO is integral in moving forward the “Elevate Big Sky 2023” strategic priorities plan comprised of four sections: Advocating for the Members, Encouraging Community Infrastructure Investment, Creating a Positive Business Climate and Facilitating Local Governance. This position is the “face” of Big Sky Chamber and Visit Big Sky, as well as the spokesperson.

The ideal candidate for this position will have a minimum of 10 years managing an internal team and leadership experience with changing dynamics and professional development of relationships with community leadership, businesses, residents, visitors, and teams. Leadership experience with changing dynamics and professional development of relationships with community leadership, businesses, residents, visitors, and teams. Stay tuned in coming weeks Hunt Scanlon will bring you latest on who the winning candidate will be!


SearchWide Global Finds CEO for Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau
SearchWide Global placed Martha Sheridan as president and CEO of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau. Mike Gamble, president and chief executive officer of SearchWide Global, led the assignment along with vice president Kellie Henderson. In coming to Boston, Ms. Sheridan became just the second woman, currently, to lead a first-tier market Convention & Visitors Bureau in the U.S.


Experienced Recruiters

SearchWide Global, based in St. Paul, MN, is a full service executive recruitment firm primarily for companies in the travel, tourism, hospitality, convention, trade association, venue management and experiential marketing industries. The firm specializes in C-level and director-level executive searches for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies and associations.

The firm recently filled chief executive officer positions for Visit Aurora, Visit Baltimore, the Greater Newark Convention Center & Visitors Bureau, Visit West Hollywood, Kentucky State Fair Board, and the Gatlinburg Convention & Visitors Bureau. SearchWide Global is currently engaged in searches for top leaders at the Mobile Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Empire State Building Co., among others.

Ms. Newmann works in all sectors of the hospitality and travel industry. Her experience in group sales, catering and event planning, according to clients, gives her a unique perspective on executive level recruitment.

SearchWide recently assisted in the placement of Claude Molinari as the new president and CEO of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau (DMCVB). Senior vice president Kellie Henderson led the assignment. “Claude is uniquely positioned to accept this new role,” said Christina Lovio‐George, chair of the search committee and DMCVB board member. “He knows the DMCVB business, he understands the role of tourism, meetings and conventions as an economic driver in the region, and he intimately understands the challenges the tourism and hospitality industry are facing now as it deals with the impact of COVID-19.”

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media

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