Branson chamber hires search firm to fill VP role

The Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau has selected a Minnesota search firm to find a successor for its roughly nine-year vice president of marketing and public relations.

Dan Lennon, who has held the position since December 2003, starts Feb. 1 as deputy director for strategic communications for the Missouri Division of Tourism.

“The support from the Branson community in our marketing efforts during the years has made this job enjoyable and tremendously rewarding," Lennon said in a state news release. "I’ll miss the daily interaction with colleagues and friends, but I look forward to continuing to serve the people of Missouri by promoting the tourism industry for the entire state.”

The Branson chamber has engaged Stillwater, Minn.-based SearchWide, an executive search firm specializing in the travel and tourism industry. The firm has been contracted to perform a nationwide search, which is expected to take 10 to 12 weeks, according to a Jan. 23 news release from the chamber.

“Our local committee selected SearchWide based on their extensive experience and success in placing executive positions in a number of chambers and CVBs around the country. The fact that they specialize only in hospitality positions also played a major factor in their selection," Branson chamber President and CEO Ross Summers said in the release.

Summers noted the chamber is seeking a person with a marketing background who can work well with committees, volunteers and the Branson community.