SearchWide Global Seeking New Leader for Experience Olympia & Beyond
May 5, 2025 – Executive recruitment firm SearchWide Global was recently retained by Experience Olympia & Beyond to lead in its search for a new CEO. Nicole Newman, global head of destinations, is leading the assignment. Experience Olympia & Beyond seeks a CEO to provide leadership for the organization’s staff, board of directors, and Thurston County tourism stakeholders. The successful candidate will be passionate about Thurston County and an expert in destination marketing, management, and stewardship. The ideal candidate will value inclusivity, innovation and accountability, and is excited to lend their unique perspective, expertise and experience to building upon the successful legacy that Experience Olympia & Beyond has created.
The CEO reports to the board president and the executive committee in partnership with the Experience Olympia & Beyond board of directors. The EOB board of directors sets policy and strategic direction while the CEO guides staff to execute the activities necessary to successfully carry out the board’s vision. The CEO will collaborate with local, regional, and tourism-related organizations to guide, influence, and support activities that facilitate quality of life, quality of experience, and economic growth in Thurston County.
Candidates should bring a track record of continuous professional success and accomplishments. High levels of leadership, diplomacy, and emotional intelligence. They musth have the highest level of integrity, ethics, vision, and positive attitude to motivate and represent all that Thurston County has to offer. Required is a minimum of five years of executive-level leadership of an organization related to tourism, destination marketing, convention & visitors bureaus, economic development, or the hospitality industry; relationship-based management experience with a focus on sales and marketing- ideally current CEO or senior executive from another DMO of similar scale, structure, and funding sources with a focus on leisure, group, meetings and sports travel.
Experience Olympia & Beyond is the official destination marketing organization for Thurston County and each of its communities in Washington.
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.
Ms. Newman 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.
Visit Greensboro Search
SearchWide Global was also recently selected by Visit Greensboro to find a new president and CEO. Andrea Christopherson, global head of experiential, tradeshows, events and venues, is leading the assignment. The firm is seeking an energetic, open, team-oriented leader. The Greensboro Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is an independent, non-profit governmental authority whose mission is to aggressively market Greensboro’s assets, maximizing economic impact while providing excellent visitor service.
Related: SearchWide Global Assists Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and Visit Big Sky in CEO Search
The president and CEO serves as the chief executive for the Greensboro Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and reports to the board of directors. The role requires a highly experienced sales and marketing strategist with strong leadership ability, management skills, and business acumen. The CEO holds responsibility for overall organizational leadership and implementation of the board’s long-term strategic direction. This includes establishing the organizational structure and building high-performing teams aligned with the mission.
Leading and Scaling with Talent
Talent has become the cornerstone of value creation in private equity, shaping the success of portfolio companies and driving superior returns. As traditional levers like financial engineering and cost optimization face diminishing returns, private equity firms are increasingly focused on leadership and operational excellence to unlock growth. The role of talent leaders has never been more critical—they are the architects of transformative strategies, aligning people and processes to maximize organizational potential and achieve sustainable scalability.
Hunt Scanlon Media is convening hundreds of operating partners, chief talent officers, and executive recruiters at the Harvard Club in New York on May 15, 2025. We will examine the vital role talent professionals play in driving value creation—from shaping investment strategies and operational initiatives to fostering leadership excellence and organizational growth.
Ms. Christopherson specializes in executive search for C-level and director level professionals as well as business development in the experiential event marketing segment along with the tradeshow and convention industries. Her previous experience at a SaaS company focused on leadership development, her experience in hospitality, and her skills in business strategy, organizational effectiveness, change management, and talent acquisition bring a unique perspective to executive search and organizational strategy.
Related: SearchWide Global Recruits CEO for the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
