2021 Finance, Operations & Technology Summit

Thank you for an inspiring 2021 Summit! See you next year!

The 2021 Finance, Operations and Technology Summit is a cross-functional gathering of destination organization professionals in finance, human resources, operations and technology. This year’s summit provided insight on post-pandemic recovery from an organizational perspective, focusing on new ways to think about how destination organizations are organized, staffed, and operated.

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2021 Agenda

Schedule subject to change.
Welcome to the Summit
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM ET
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In-person attendees in Baltimore have the opportunity to gather for casual networking time.

Virtual attendees have access to an exclusive partner interview about the future of operations in a post-COVID world. Join us on the virtual platform for a discussion with MMGY NextFactor.
Welcome Remarks
1:00 PM - 1:15 PM ET
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Destinations International President & CEO Don Welsh welcomes you to this year's Finance, Operations and Technology Summit.

Presented by: Tempest
Don Welsh headshot Don Welsh
President & CEO
Destinations International
The Value of Transparency in Your Website
1:15 PM - 1:45 PM ET
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We often herald that as destination organizations we operate and act in a transparent manner, yet when it comes to proving it in the public space, we fall flat. Many of us forget that we must be proper stewards and fiduciaries of public money, but we are bound by certain guidelines to make financial, executive, and governance information easily and publicly available. The best place to start becoming transparent is with your website. This informative session with Visit Colorado Springs will provide an insider's look at examples and best practices to ensuring that your website, and therefore your organization, is transparent and provides your stakeholders with the information and the value they need.

Presented by: STR
Andreas Weissenborn headshot Andreas Weissenborn
Vice President of Research & Advocacy
Destinations International
Amy Long headshot Amy Long
Chief Innovation Officer
Visit Colorado Springs
Shirtsleeves Discussions
1:45 PM - 2:30 PM ET
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Convene at your table or virtually in a Zoom room to for a facilitated discussion of pressing finance, operations and technology issues.
Take Carra Wellness Break
2:30 PM - 2:45 PM ET
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Whether you are joining us in-person or remotely, take a few moments to stretch and watch a wellness video provided by our friends at SearchWide Global.

Presented by: SearchWide Global
Shirtsleeves Live Report Out
2:45 PM - 3:10 PM ET
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We will join together following the break for a moderated report-out of key shirtsleeves takeaways from both the virtual and in-person audiences live from the main stage.
Organization Rethink
3:10 PM - 3:50 PM ET
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2021 brings with it a new hope, and new opportunity. As we emerge from the dark cloud of COVID-19, many organizations are faced with the opportunity to rebuild around new priorities. This panel will discuss how organizations are shifting to address the new realities, and uncertainties, of the post-COVID era.

Presented by: Civitas
Tammy Blount-Canavan headshot Tammy Blount-Canavan
EVP & Principal
Fired Up! Culture
Craig Davis headshot Craig Davis
President & CEO
VisitDallas
Paul Nursey headshot Paul Nursey
President & CEO
Destination Greater Victoria
A Conversation with Joanne Molinaro
4:05 PM - 4:45 PM ET
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Joanne began her blog in 2016 as a personal motivational tool to "veganize" her favorite Korean recipes in an attempt to maintain a connection to her family and culture. The following year, Molinaro expanded the objective of her social media platforms to add a more urgent component: sharing the immigrant story.

Join us at this year's summit for a conversation about Joanne's incredible story about how she utilizes her platforms to provide insight into the immigrant experience in the United States, with the hope of developing empathy and compassion, and to begin an ongoing dialogue rooted in civility and a common denominator: the love of food.

Presented by: Simpleview
Joanne Molinaro headshot Joanne Molinaro
"The Korean Vegan"
Attorney, Chef, Blogger & Influencer
2021 Recordings

Registered attendees now have access to the session recordings from the July 2021 hybrid summit. Please use your Destinations International member login to access the recordings.

Join the Online Community

The Online Community connects professionals from across the industry. Find users from your region or join a discussion group to discuss critical finance, operations and technology issues.
Access to the Online Community is an exclusive benefit to all staff from member organizations of Destinations International. Use your member login to access the discussions, or contact us if you need assistance.