Celebrate the start of the 2026 Business Operations Summit with an evening that captures the bold, welcoming spirit of Oklahoma City. Join us at City & State for Oklahoma-inspired bites and cocktails, live entertainment, and interactive experiences designed to give you a taste of OKC.

Get hands-on at the Spice of Life activation, where you’ll create your own custom BBQ spice rub to take home, or visit the Leather Branding Bar to personalize a one-of-a-kind leather keepsake. With great food, creative experiences, and plenty of opportunities to connect, it’s the perfect way to start the Summit.

Complimentary shuttles will run continuously between the Omni Oklahoma City Hotel and City & State, with pick-up and drop-off located on the south side of the Omni near Park Grounds.

Destination professionals operate in an environment of competing priorities, evolving workforce expectations and increasing organizational complexity. When the pressure to deliver becomes constant, leaders and teams can fall into the “100% trap”, treating maximum effort as the standard rather than building the capacity to perform consistently. In this engaging keynote, Katie Virtue introduces her Sustainable Performance framework, built around Purpose, Values and Behaviors. Participants will explore how individual habits and organizational expectations influence energy, focus and decision-making. Through Katie’s Energy Eval, they will consider nine components of physical, mental and emotional energy, identify what fuels or drains their performance and uncover practical opportunities to work differently.

Participants will leave able to: Recognize behaviors and workplace patterns that contribute to burnout and reduced effectiveness. Identify the physical, mental and emotional factors affecting their energy and leadership performance. Create greater space for thoughtful decisions, clearer priorities and more sustainable ways of working. Select one or two realistic behavior shifts, including five-minute micro-moments, that they can apply immediately to strengthen their own performance and better support their teams.

Katie Virtue

Owner

Virtue Consulting

 

 

 

 

Every destination organization is powered by a network of interconnected systems—people, finances, technology, processes and decision-making. When one system breaks down, the effects ripple across the entire organization.

Using a relatable DMO scenario, this fast-paced opening session introduces the concept of operational systems thinking and demonstrates how unclear ownership, disconnected workflows and competing priorities create hidden costs, frustration and inefficiency. Participants will leave with a simple framework for diagnosing where systems break down and a shared foundation that will carry into the three interactive labs.

People are at the center of every operational system, but competing priorities, constant change and limited capacity can quickly leave teams feeling overwhelmed. In this interactive lab, Katie Virtue will build on the Sustainable Performance concepts introduced in her mainstage keynote and use insights from the Energy Eval to help leaders identify what is energizing and draining their teams across physical, mental and emotional dimensions. Participants will explore where pressure is showing up, what may be contributing to it, and practical micro-moments leaders can introduce to improve energy, capacity and performance without exhaustion.

Every strategic initiative competes for limited resources. Too often, organizations budget for the idea without budgeting for the work required to successfully implement it.

Participants will use the systems framework introduced in the mainstage to evaluate how financial decisions support—or unintentionally constrain—organizational success. Through practical exercises, they'll learn how to develop business cases that account for staffing, technology, implementation, maintenance and long-term sustainability.

David A. Edwards

Vice President of Finance & Administration

Visit Franklin

Becky Heath

Vice President of Finance

Destinations International

 

 

 

Great organizations don't happen by accident—they are intentionally designed. Every policy, process, workflow and decision either reduces friction or creates it.

This lab explores the operational systems that connect every department, making it the ideal space for professionals in business operations, administration, legal, executive offices, project management and anyone responsible for improving how work gets done across the organization.

Participants will map a real organizational process, identify breakdowns in ownership, communication and decision-making, and redesign the workflow using practical tools they can immediately apply back at their destination organization.

Destination leaders are increasingly expected to turn market data into confident budget decisions and clear communication with executives and boards. This session pairs the expertise of Tourism Economics with a CFO from a leading destination organization to show how tools and performance data can strengthen how teams plan, budget, and report. Using real-world examples, they will demonstrate how lodging performance, forward-looking booking pace, and other demand indicators can inform budgeting decisions throughout the year. They will also share practical approaches for translating those numbers into a narrative that resonates with leadership, helping finance and administrative professionals make the case for resources and demonstrate ROI. Attendees will leave able to identify the lodging and pace metrics most useful for budgeting and forecasting, connect current and forward-looking data to annual planning, build clear, data-backed messaging for stakeholders, and apply reporting tools without a data-science background.

Mike Pistana

Associate Director of Destination Partnerships

Tourism Economics 

Kurt Fournier

Chief Financial Officer

Visit Fort Worth

 

 

 

AI is moving from answering questions to doing real work, and the destination organizations that benefit most won't be the ones with the best tools. They'll be the ones with the clearest systems behind them: documented workflows, standard operating procedures, and the institutional knowledge that lives across DMO finance, HR, and operations teams. This session offers a practical framework for identifying repetitive tasks, capturing organizational context, and designing AI-powered workflows that strengthen your team rather than replace it. You'll leave with actionable steps to move from systems of record to systems of action, ready to apply inside your own destination organization.

Alex Heimann

CEO

Tempest

 

 

 

 

Every organization has projects that stall because ownership is unclear or too many people are involved. In this facilitated workshop, participants will work through real DMO scenarios to clarify decision rights, define roles and identify where handoffs create delays. Rather than introducing another project management tool, this session focuses on practical techniques for improving accountability and helping work move more efficiently across departments.

An annual audit shouldn't begin when the auditors arrive. It should be a year-round operational practice. This practical session demystifies the audit process for Business Operations professionals, especially those without an accounting background. Attendees will learn what auditors are looking for, the documentation and internal controls that matter most, common audit findings, how HR and IT contribute to audit readiness, and simple habits that reduce risk and make audit season far less stressful. Whether you oversee finance or simply support it, you'll leave with a clearer understanding of your role in keeping your organization audit ready.

Everyone has data, but very few organizations know how to communicate it effectively. This session explores how destination organizations can identify the metrics that matter, create meaningful dashboards and turn business intelligence into clear, actionable insights. Attendees will learn practical approaches for using data to support strategic planning, communicate with leadership and boards, measure organizational performance and drive smarter operational decisions.

Finance has a critical role to play in the success of destination organizations, but our greatest impact comes when we are part of the broader conversation, not just at the end to check the numbers.

This session will explore how finance professionals can move beyond the traditional role of scorekeeper to become strategic partners. We’ll discuss how pursuing the CDME credential, attending industry events, and engaging across the organization can expand our perspective, increase our influence, and strengthen our industry.

Because when finance is in the room, great destinations become possible.

This interactive session will provide IT, research and data professionals with a practical framework for assessing AI maturity across strategy and leadership, data and research, technology and integration, governance and security, workforce capacity, and measurable AI use cases. Through a live survey, attendees will benchmark where their organization currently stands and leave with results they can take back to their DMO to help guide next steps.

Vimal Vyas, CDME

VP of Data, Security & AI Innovation

Visit Raleigh

 

 

 

 

Some of the best ideas at the summit won't come from the stage—they'll come from the people in the room. In this fast-paced, audience-driven session, attendees are invited to step up to the mic and share one process, template, checklist, workflow, dashboard, policy or tool that has made a meaningful impact in their organization. Each participant will have just a few minutes to explain what it is, why it works and how others can adapt it. The session will be captured and curated into a post-event 2026 Business Operations Playbook, giving every attendee a practical collection of real-world resources and ideas to take home.

A tourism master plan can provide a long-range vision for a destination, but its value is realized through implementation. In this main stage case study, explore how Visit Indy is putting its Destination Vision into practice through partnerships, community alignment, place-based initiatives and investment. Learn how the organization uses the plan to identify opportunities, convene partners and advance projects that strengthen both the visitor experience and quality of life for residents. As a DMAP with Distinction organization, Visit Indy offers a practical look at how long-range planning and strong partnerships can move a destination from vision to action.

Brad Beaubien

Vice President of Destination Development

Visit Indy

 

 

 

 

Ahead of renewing its fee-for-service agreement with the City, Discover Saskatoon commissioned an independent Destination Competitiveness Study: an environmental scan of DMO governance models paired with a funding benchmark comparing Saskatoon's revenue sources, budget scale and market assets against nine other Canadian destinations. Recognized by DMAP reviewers as a leading practice, the research replaced assumptions with evidence. Kaurie May, Director of Finance & Operations, walks through how the study was scoped, how comparators and data sources were selected, and how the findings were carried into board, partner and municipal conversations, leaving attendees with a practical framework for making the case before the ask.

Kaurie May, CPA, CA

Director, Finance & Operations

Discover Saskatoon

 

 

 

 

Most destination organizations are not overwhelmed simply because they have too much work. They are carrying layers of hidden work that quietly consume time, attention and capacity without creating meaningful value. In this opening session, attendees will explore the three sources of hidden work: the work organizations create through unnecessary processes and approvals, the work they accept through expanding responsibilities and scope creep, and the work they inherit through outdated technology, policies and organizational structures. Participants will leave with a new lens for evaluating their own organization and a framework for identifying where hidden work is slowing them down before diving deeper into one of three focused breakout sessions.

Many organizations unintentionally create work through extra approvals, duplicate reporting, recurring meetings and processes that have become more complicated over time. In this interactive session, participants will examine how operational complexity develops, learn practical strategies for simplifying workflows and identify opportunities to eliminate unnecessary steps without sacrificing accountability. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of where process friction exists in their own organization and a practical approach for making work simpler, faster and easier to manage.

The biggest threat to organizational capacity often isn't the work we intentionally choose, but the responsibilities that quietly accumulate over time. This session explores how destination organizations can recognize scope creep, evaluate competing priorities and create better decision-making practices around new requests and ongoing commitments. Participants will learn strategies for protecting organizational capacity, setting clearer expectations and ensuring that time and resources remain focused on the work that delivers the greatest value.

Every organization inherits systems, policies, technologies and ways of working that were designed for a different time. While many continue simply because "that's how we've always done it," they often create unnecessary barriers to efficiency and innovation. In this session, participants will learn how to identify legacy practices that no longer serve their organization, evaluate where modernization will have the greatest impact and develop a practical approach for updating systems and structures without overwhelming their teams. The focus is not on adopting the newest technology, but on thoughtfully challenging assumptions and creating operational systems that are built for today's realities.

Destination organizations depend on a growing ecosystem of platforms, data sources, and workflows. Yet many teams still struggle with disconnected information, manual processes, and limited visibility across departments. This session explores how DMOs are using system integrations, shared data strategies, and operational reporting to streamline work, improve collaboration, and create a more connected organization. Through real-world examples and lessons learned, attendees will gain practical ideas for eliminating friction, increasing transparency, and delivering better business outcomes.

Morgan Bell

Director of Product Management

Granicus

Jeffrey Emenecker

Senior Director of Destination Insights

Granicus

 

 

 

Whether you're implementing new technology, restructuring a team, introducing a new policy or changing the way work gets done, success depends on more than a good plan. It depends on people. This session explores practical strategies for leading organizational change, building trust, communicating with transparency and helping teams navigate uncertainty without creating change fatigue or burnout. Attendees will learn approaches for gaining buy-in, overcoming resistance and turning organizational change into lasting progress.

Technology decisions are no longer just IT decisions. They impact every department, every workflow and every employee. This session explores how destination organizations can move beyond reacting to immediate needs and instead build a thoughtful technology roadmap that aligns with organizational goals. Participants will learn practical strategies for evaluating new tools, prioritizing investments, managing vendors, establishing governance and preparing their organization for emerging technologies, including AI.

Every destination runs on a dozen systems - CRM, partner management, events, STR, agency reporting, TID reporting, board minutes. Each holds a piece of the organization. Connect them, and the silos disappear. Todd Brook shows how AI can link those systems so destinations build their own data warehouse - no systems replaced, no data project required. Attendees will see what this has changed for destinations operationally and leave with a simple framework for mapping their own systems.

Every destination organization has experienced it: a project that stalled, a technology implementation that missed the mark, or an initiative that struggled because departments weren't aligned. In this candid panel, leaders will share real stories of when collaboration broke down, what they learned along the way and how they rebuilt trust, clarified roles and strengthened partnerships across their organizations. Through honest conversation and practical lessons, attendees will gain actionable ideas for improving cross-functional collaboration and leading more connected organizations.

Technology, data and AI are evolving faster than many organizations’ policies and decision-making structures. As destination organizations adopt new platforms, automate workflows and expand their use of data and AI, Business Operations leaders are increasingly responsible for answering difficult questions: Who owns these tools? Who can access the data? What requires approval? Where does risk sit? And how do we encourage innovation without sacrificing accountability?

This session explores practical approaches to technology, data and AI governance that help organizations establish clear ownership, decision rights, policies and guardrails. Attendees will learn how to create enough structure to manage risk, privacy and responsible use without creating so much process that innovation stalls.

Budget pressure and staffing constraints are reshaping how destination organizations operate. In this candid panel discussion, leaders from finance, people operations and executive leadership will share how they're making difficult decisions, prioritizing investments, managing workforce challenges and communicating tradeoffs across their organizations. Rather than focusing on budget mechanics, the conversation will explore the leadership decisions required to sustain momentum when resources are limited.

An Audience-Driven Conversation on the Evolving Role of Business Operations: There is no script, no prepared remarks and no advance list of questions. Throughout the summit, attendees will submit the questions they've always wanted to ask experienced Business Operations leaders about career growth, strategic influence and the evolving role of BizOps. During this candid closing conversation, the panel will answer those questions live for the first time, sharing honest perspectives on building credibility, influencing executive decision-making, navigating career growth, partnering with CEOs and boards, and earning a seat at the table. The result is an authentic conversation shaped entirely by the audience and the real challenges they're facing.