Christine Duffy, national chair of the U.S. Travel Association and president of Carnival Cruise Line, announced nine industry leaders to serve on a committee to identify the association’s next president and CEO following the retirement of Roger Dow in July 2022.

The search committee, drawn from U.S. Travel’s board of directors, is representative of core segments of the travel industry, including two from destination marketing organizations, the largest segment of association membership. The individuals who will serve on the search committee are:

• Christine Duffy, president, Carnival Cruise Line, national chair, U.S. Travel Association, chair of the search committee
• Julie Coker, president and CEO, San Diego Tourism Authority
• Debbie Johnson, executive director, Arizona Office of Tourism
• Elie Maalouf, CEO, Americas, IHG Hotels & Resorts, chair, U.S. Travel CEO Roundtable
• Monya Mandich, global vice president, marketing, media solutions, Expedia Group
• Tim Mapes, senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer, Delta Air Lines
• Michael Massari, chief sales officer, Caesars Entertainment
• DT Minich, president and CEO, Experience Kissimmee
• Jonathan M. Tisch, chairman and CEO, Loews Hotels & Co., treasurer, New York Giants, chairman emeritus, U.S. Travel Association

“Determining the next top leader of the U.S. Travel Association is the single most critical function the board will undertake next year, especially as we rebuild this industry with our eyes on the future growth and evolution of travel,” Duffy said. “I appreciate the time each of my colleagues has agreed to dedicate to this important process to appoint a leader who will advance the vision, values and goals of the association and the broader travel industry.”

The Search Committee will convene in 2022 to select an executive search firm to assist them in the process.

Dow has lead U.S. Travel for 16 years, advocating for all segments of the travel industry, including meetings and events. He has guided U.S. Travel and the broader industry through periods of remarkable growth—marked by 10 consecutive years of expansion between 2010 and 2019—and significant challenges, including the meetings and events crisis of 2009 and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

At the beginning of his tenure, he brought the industry together under one unifying voice and continued to ensure that policymakers on Capitol Hill recognized the importance of the overall industry to the American economy. 

Dow led the charge that drove the formation and passage of the Travel Promotion Act, which created Brand USA, the nation’s first national travel program. With the help of industry partners, Dow also headed the effort to create the Meetings Mean Business Coalition in 2009, which continues to aggressively promote and defend the value of face-to-face business meetings, trade shows, conferences and conventions. 

During the COVID-19 crisis, Dow brought the travel industry together and secured pandemic-related government relief for its hard-hit sectors, and U.S. Travel launched the Let’s Go There Coalition to inspire future travel following steep declines associated with the pandemic. 

Meanwhile, in June, the Let’s Meet There initiative was unveiled. Spearheaded by a coalition of travel industry businesses and organizations under U.S. Travel’s umbrella, it is aimed at supporting the full and safe return of business travel and professional meetings and events.