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Dan Williams
Dan Williams Tapped to Lead Greater Birmingham CVB
By Jonathan Trager
Dan Williams, a 27-year veteran of the tourism and hospitality industry, has been appointed President & CEO of the Greater Birmingham CVB (GBCVB) in Alabama.
Williams, who currently serves as Chief Sales Officer for Experience Columbus in Ohio, will officially assume his new role on June 1. He succeeds retiring CVB leader John Oros.
“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 forward to building on the outstanding foundation and impact that John and the GBCVB team have established.”
Williams, 52, told USAE he has family who lives in the Birmingham area and he loves the destination’s “resilience and innovation.”
“It’s one of those cities where the heritage and civil rights legacy attracted me,” said Williams. “It’s a destination that’s up and coming with its arts and food scene. I see it as building on what John and the team has created. Just being a part of that is extremely exciting to me.”
Prior to joining Experience Co-lumbus in 2015, Williams served as vice president of sales at Destination Cleveland. He’s an active member of Destinations International, PCMA, ASAE, and the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners.
Williams said being active with industry associations is crucial for building awareness for destinations such as Cleveland, Columbus, and Birmingham.
“It’s extremely important for visibility,” he said. “To be able to be where the planners and your peers are is extremely important. Our trajectory changed when we hosted ASAE and PCMA In our community. It shown a different light on our city that we’re able to host big citywide conventions.”
Bill Murray, Chair of the GBCVB, said the board is “thrilled” to welcome Williams into the fold.
“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,” said Murray. “We’re confident that, under his leader-ship, 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.”
Williams and his wife, Jennifer, have four adult sons and five grandchildren. He’s also “an extremely bad golfer who wants to get a lot better.”
“I’m extremely excited about being in Birmingham, and I look forward to us not just competing as a destination but setting the standard,” he said.