Kevin presented at his last such gathering this week as he embarks upon a new chapter of his life. Since we created Market Research at Meet Minneapolis seven years ago, Kevin has been the face of that function and was actually dubbed “Big Data” by one of our former board leaders.

Kevin is known for giving the hospitality/tourism industry straight forward information without sugarcoating. In fact, Kevin was adamant in predicting the industry downturn that we experienced in 2016-2017. His forecasts were, at times, difficult to accept. However, our stakeholders ultimately appreciated his honesty and candor.

Before making the leap to the destination marketing space, Kevin had built a successful research career in consumer packaged goods and in travel. He quickly adapted to the new challenge and immediately impacted our planning process. His wealth of knowledge helped Meet Minneapolis shape a formidable research program that our community has grown to rely on for making informed business decisions.

Perhaps the most impactful legacy that Kevin can point to is his leadership in the creation of Destination Transformation: 2030, our community’s tourism master plan. This is our road map for becoming an even more marketable destination by 2030. The framework for continuing to implement that plan is in place and we will continue to benefit from his leadership and expertise.

While Kevin’s replacement will bring a different set of relevant skills to the organization, we are committed to identifying a new research leader who can build on the great foundation that he established.

Please join me in wishing Kevin well. All of us at Meet Minneapolis want to thank you for your insights, leadership and support of our Meet Minneapolis mission over the past seven years.