2-year Branson chamber leader exiting

The Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau's two-year leader is exiting the organization.

Jason Outman on Feb. 27 informed the chamber's board that he would leave his position as president and CEO in March, according to a news release.

The release did not give a reason for Outman's departure. Branson chamber Communications Director Lynn Berry said via email she's not aware of the reason and that Outman currently is on vacation.

Outman could not be reached for comment by deadline, nor could board Chair Cynthia Carson. Outman told the Branson Tri-Lakes News that "the timing is right for my wife and I to move on to our next adventure." Outman's LinkedIn profile has not been updated to show a new employer.

The Branson chamber announced the hiring of Outman in December 2020, and he started in the role a month later, according to past reporting. He arrived from South Carolina, where he previously worked for six years as executive director of destination marketing organization Experience Columbia SC.

Chamber officials in the release credited Outman with leading the organization to earn Chamber of the Year honors in 2022 by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry; a double-digit increase in chamber memberships; marketing campaigns that resulted in record tax collections and visitation in 2021 and 2022; and the development of a 10-year strategic plan.

Outman also has been a proponent of regionalism in tourism marketing. During his tenure, the Branson chamber joined with the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau Inc. and Herschend Family Entertainment Corp. to launch a regional collaboration dubbed the Ozark Mountain Partnership, according to past reporting.