Atlanta CVB Chief to Step Down
Spurgeon Richardson announced that he will retire as president and CEO of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) at the end of the year.
“It has been a fantastic 17 years at the helm of this ship and I’m proud of all that we’ve accomplished as an industry,” Richardson said. “During my time at ACVB, Atlanta has grown to a world-class city and together we’ve grown Atlanta’s hospitality industry right alongside that.”
Highlights during his tenure include the 1996 Olympics, which placed the city in the global spotlight and fostered long-term growth; the various expansion phases of the Georgia World Congress Center; efforts to bolster the hospitality industry following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks; and the current influx of boutique hotels and dramatic changes in the city’s dining scene.
Michael Robison, CEO of Lanier Parking Co. and a former ACVB chairman, will head an executive search committee for ACVB chairman Steve Smith and the board. Once committee members have been named, a national search will begin.
Richardson envisions having someone who will focus on maintaining Atlanta as a top meeting and convention site, developing tourism and growing the city as a tourist destination, and fostering more international business.
“I have a love, passion and enthusiasm for our industry and I love this city,” he said. “I have truly felt for 17 years that I have the best job in Atlanta.”
For more information, visit www.atlanta.net.