SearchWide Recruits CEO for National Association of Sports Commissions
February 8, 2017 – Executive recruiting firm SearchWide has placed Alan Kidd as president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC). He succeeds Don Schumacher, who is relinquishing his title after 25 years as the only executive director the NASC has had. Mike Gamble, president and chief executive officer of SearchWide, led the assignment.
The NASC CEO leads all operations and activities for the organization, including providing direction to a current team and ensuring proper fiscal and operational management. He is responsible to the board of directors and reports to its chairman, who leads a 21-member volunteer group.
“The NASC executive search committee was tasked with selecting a successor to industry legend Don Schumacher,” said Ralph Morton, executive director of the Seattle Sports Commission and chair of the NASC board of directors. “After an extensive search, we are excited that Al Kidd has accepted the challenge of building on the success of the past 25 years and taking the association to new heights. He has deep ties in the sports commission world and the national contacts to help lead our membership into a very bright future.”
Turnaround and M&A Leader
Mr. Kidd is the former president of the San Diego Sports Commission. In 2003, he helped with the financial turnaround of the San Diego Hall of Champions sports museum. As president of the San Diego Sports Commission, he also led a merger effort to consolidate a number of non-profit sports organizations. Mr. Kidd is currently with BoldPointe Partners, a private equity firm specializing in middle market companies.
“I am honored to be selected by the NASC board of directors to build upon the legacy and body of work the NASC has performed as the recognized sports tourism leader by founder Don Schumacher,” said Mr. Kidd. “I look forward to coupling my experiences developing organizational strategy, marketing and new revenue in collaboration with the membership assets to create new and sustainable growth to propel the NASC for years to come.”
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He said that he will call upon his years of experience in the business, education, tourism and marketing industry, and apply strong entrepreneurial methods to bring new value and revenue to the NASC and its members.
Mr. Kidd is just the kind of leader that the NASC needs going forward, Mr. Schumacher said. “And with his experience in the San Diego sports market, he’s shown he has the background to help organizations work together to promote and grow sports tourism.” The NASC serves the sport tourism industry by providing a member-directed communication network among host organizations, event owners and suppliers engaged in the industry.
SearchWide is a full service executive search firm dedicated to the travel, tourism & convention, hotel & lodging industries and sports & entertainment sectors. It specializes in C-level, director and management level searches for Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies.
The firm recently filled chief executive officer positions for Visit Baltimore, the Greater Newark Convention Center & Visitors Bureau, Visit West Hollywood, Kentucky State Fair Board, and the Gatlinburg Convention & Visitors Bureau. SearchWide is currently engaged in searches for top leaders at the Mobile Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Empire State Building Company, among others.
Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media
