We're so pleased to welcome Duane Gibson to the Experience Columbus team as director of Washington, D.C. regional sales. Duane will be working remotely, out of D.C., and is responsible for all professional associations and corporations with 551+ peak rooms in D.C. (excluding “A” accounts), Maryland and all government. In total, Duane has more than 20 years of experience in hospitality, both in hotel operations and sales management, and comes to us from the Caesars Entertainment Atlantic City team. He is an active member in the PCMA Capital Chapter and MPI Potomic Chapter, serving on the Community Service Committee and the Member Engagement Committee, respectively.

Duane spent his first two weeks with us in a whirlwind onboarding session by joining us at the ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition in Chicago then an extended stay in Columbus meeting all of our partners, during which time he answered a few questions to help us get to know him better.

Fun Fact: My travels have taken me to four African countries: Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa and Swaziland.

How do you spend the short flight between D.C. and Columbus? Listening to music and reading the in-flight magazine. 

Why were you interested in switching to the DMO side of the industry? I was looking for a new adventure in my career that would allow my talents to shine and have innovative, fun collaborations alongside great colleagues and partners. 

What have you learned about Columbus that surprised you the most? I was shocked how much growth the city has gone through, even since my last visit, from new hotels and multi-use apartment buildings to the streetscape improvement on High Street. Also what a gem the Greater Columbus Convention Center is for both meeting planners and attendees. 

Now that you've spent time learning the city more in-depth, what is one thing you want to make sure everyone knows about Columbus? The walkability for convention attendees to hotels, restaurants and shops is no joke. The variety of things available in walking distance will amaze everyone who visits Columbus.

Connect with Duane to welcome him to Columbus or inquire how can he can meet your planning needs!