Bennish Brown

President & CEO, Destination Augusta

Meet Bennish Brown: A destination leader who is enthusiastic about connecting with people.

With a career spanning more than two decades in the tourism industry, Bennish Brown has built a reputation as a dynamic and forward-thinking leader. His passion is helping to develop people of impact and influence on the teams and in the communities where he has worked.  

Since 2018, he has served as President & CEO of Destination Augusta, where he has played a pivotal role in shaping the city’s tourism landscape. Under his leadership, Destination Augusta has undergone a transformative rebrand and developed a bold Strategic Plan using the industry’s DestinationNEXT platform.

Before coming to Augusta, Bennish led tourism organizations in Tacoma, WA, and Rock Hill, SC, always bringing a fresh perspective and innovative ideas to each community he served.  

His career began in communications, where he honed his storytelling skills as an on-air radio personality and radio station manager before transitioning into newspaper reporting, and public relations roles in government and corporate sectors.  

He connects with the Augusta community by serving on several local Boards of Directors. He connects with the travel and tourism industry by serving on several boards and committees, including a member of the Association Board for Destinations International.

A dedicated Gamecock, Bennish holds a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and a master’s in communications from the University of South Carolina. He and his family are avid explorers, and have traveled across six continents, with only Antarctica left to experience.