Al Hutchinson to Lead Mobile Area Tourism Efforts

Chairperson Karen Outlaw Atchison, on behalf of the Mobile Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors, is pleased to announce the appointment of Al Hutchinson to the position of President/CEO.  Hutchinson will begin July 1, 2014.  He will be replacing David Randel, who announced his retirement earlier this month.

With nearly 25 years of experience in the hospitality and destination marketing arena, Hutchinson most recently served as the vice president of Convention Sales & Services at the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB).  For over eleven years, he led an experienced team of convention sales and service professionals and worked closely with community leaders, industry decision makers, elected officials and hotel, attraction and restaurant partners.  Prior to his time in Virginia Beach, Hutchinson also served in various leadership positions with the Greater Pittsburgh CVB, the Charlotte Convention Center, The Park Hotel in Charlotte, NC and the Richmond Metropolitan CVB.

"Al's reputation, experience and success record in the hospitality industry is just what the MBCVB needs to propel us into the future." says Atchison. "This is a critical time for the tourism industry in Mobile and we are confident that Al will be a successful advocate for tourism development.   His role will be to identify opportunities and tackle challenges we face as we all work toward positioning Mobile as a top tier southern destination for both leisure and convention audiences."

Hutchinson's first responsibilities will be to assess the current organizational vision and strategies of the Mobile Bay CVB.  He will also meet with key hospitality and community leaders and become familiar with recent sales and marketing programs, current projects underway and future plans of action. 

Long recognized as a leader in the hospitality industry by publications and organizations such as the American Society of Association Executives, Professional Convention Management Association and Black Meeting s & Tourism, Hutchinson has also served on the board of directors for groups such as Destination Marketing Association International, Meeting Planners International-Multicultural Initiative, the Urban League of Hampton Roads and the Religious Conference Management Association.

He is a graduate of the University Of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing. He is married with two children.