Off to a Good Start
The Visit Cincy Spirit of Cincinnati Awards recognizes the influencers and advocates of the local hospitality region who have gone above and beyond to drive the Cincinnati region forward.
Jean-Robert de Cavel Champion Awards, recognizes those who have worked directly with the Visit Cincy team to bring important meetings to the Cincy region. The honorees were:
Dr. Gian Andrea Rassati, associate professor, University of Cincinnati; 2026 International Workshop on Connections in Steel Structures.
Jamie Rea & Susan Ayers, from the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts, for bringing the 2026 Access to Justice Network National Conference.
Paula Brehm-Heeger, Eva Jane Romaine Coombe Director, Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library; hosted the 2025 Urban Libraries Council Annual Leadership Forum
Wade Johnston, Cincy Trails; led effort to bring the 10th Civic Commons Studio to Cincinnati
Erich Kunzel Queen City Advocate Award recognizes those whose actions have attracted positive media coverage of the Cincy region. The honorees were:
Lytle Park Hotel, Jeff Sweet, General Manager and Julie Kowalewski, Regional Director of Sales
Wildweed Restaurant led by Chef David Jackman and co-owner Lydia Jackman
Horace Sudduth Progressive Business Award honors people and organizations that demonstrate sustained commitment to diversity through leadership in areas like supplier diversity and workforce development. The honoree was:
Kelly Shaw, associate director, Findlay Kitchen
Spirit of Cincinnati Partnership Award recognizes an individual or organization that partnered with the CVB to make significant contributions to the local meetings and tourism industry. The honorees were:
Convention Center Transformation Partners
State of Ohio
Hamilton County
City of Cincinnati
3CDC
The Port
Messer Construction
Jostin Construction
Triversity Construction
Hargreaves Jones
TVS Architecture and Interior Design
Moody Nolan
The Wendell P. Dabney Award recognizes an individual or organization that has diversified the hospitality industry. The honorees were:
Crystal Kendrick, founder, The Voice of Black Cincinnati
Natasha Williams, founder, Black Wine Fest
Pinnacle Award for Outstanding Service honors an individual on the front line of the hospitality industry who sets an example through excellent customer service and pride in the Cincy community. The honoree was:
Patrick McCoy, guest services manager, Parking Management Company
Special Recognition Award
Captain Alan Bernstein, BB Riverboats
The most important part of any journey is taking the first step. With the re-opening of the Cincinnati Convention Center, Visit Cincy is poised to welcome guests to the city for a great year of business and leisure travel.
On Jan. 21, Visit Cincy celebrated it’s 2026 Annual Meeting, with more than 700 hospitality, business, and civic leaders, including 60 meeting planners, marking the largest gathering in the organization’s 80-year history and the first major business meeting held inside the newly transformed Cincinnati Convention Center following its $264 million investment.
The $264 million-dollar downtown Cincinnati Convention Center is open for business with state-of-the-art amenities, meeting spaces, technology, a dramatic rooftop terrace and the new Elm Street Plaza. The project also includes the future headquarters hotel and a walkable, connected convention district, that flows seamlessly with the Fountain District for a vibrant visitor experience.
The reopening of the Cincinnati Convention Center anchors a revitalized, walkable convention district designed to compete for high-impact national and international events.
“This moment represents years of belief, bold decisions and partnerships coming together with collaboration,” said Julie Calvert, president and CEO of Visit Cincy. “We built a convention district designed for the future, a place where the biggest ideas, the biggest events, and the biggest moments come to life.”
Calvert, who will step down later this month following 25 years with the Visit Cincy, with eight years as President & CEO, was recognized for her leadership and contributions to the community. Those contributions include founding Source Cincinnati, now Cincinnati Experience, to tell Cincinnati’s story to national audiences, the completion of the $264 million renovation of the Cincinnati Convention Center and the launch of the new Cincinnati Regional Sports Commission, among many others.
Calvert is recognized as a national leader in tourism serving on the board of directors of Destinations International, the world’s leading membership association for destination organizations, convention and visitors bureaus, and tourism boards.
The Visit Cincy Board will name an interim leader and conduct a national search for the next President and CEO.
“Without question, this community is better for Julie’s leadership,” said Scott Robertson, chair of the Visit Cincy Board of Directors. “Her legacy lives on in the people she mentored, the partnerships she forged, and the future she helped unlock for this region.”
Robertson presented Calvert with the Visit Cincy Pinnacle Legacy Spirit Award. Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval presented her the Key to the City, and the Hamilton County Board of Commission named January 21, 2026 “Julie Calvert Day.”
New Board of Directors and Leadership for Visit Cincy Elected
At the Visit Cincy annual meeting, the following were elected as directors:
Renewing Directors are: Scott Robertson, Chairman, RCF Group; Steve Mullinger, Ohio Market President, Truist; and Melissa Saladonis, Vice President, Government Relations, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
New At-Large Directors are: Jill Berkemeier, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Administration, Cincinnati Museum Center; Josh Heuser, Founder, AGAR; Joe Lanni, Co-Founder, Thunderdome Restaurant Group; and Brett Woods, Assistant Vice President, Eagle Realty Group.
The Visitor Economy in Cincinnati has a Billion Dollar Impact
The visitor economy is a cornerstone of Cincinnati’s economic vitality, delivering measurable impact every day across Hamilton County and the broader region. Visitors spend $6.5 billion annually in the Cincy Region, equal to more than $17 million a day, supporting 67,000 jobs and generating $4 billion in wages. In Hamilton County alone, tourism supports 46,000 jobs and produces $229 million in local tax revenue, helping fund public services while accounting for roughly one-quarter of all local business revenue.
Visit Cincy’s Marketing and Sales Momentum
Despite operating during major construction and unforeseen challenges in the national travel industry, Visit Cincy reported strong results in 2025. New convention requests for proposals increased 7 percent despite falling 15 percent overall in the Midwest, and the size of meetings increased 19 percent. Bolstered by a new meetings campaign, website traffic surged 88 percent. A pre-opening industry campaign generated 835 million global impressions, reinforcing Cincinnati’s return to prominence in the meetings and conventions marketplace.
Visit Cincy also unveiled its 2026 destination advertising campaign, “ALWAYS BOLD,” to position Cincinnati with meetings and convention planners and align the city’s brand with its revitalized convention district and growing national profile.
During the Annual Meeting, Visit Cincy highlighted the Cincinnati Regional Sports Commission, a new standalone nonprofit dedicated to attracting and growing high-impact sports events. Sports tourism is one of the fastest-growing segments in travel, and the new commission positions the region to capture increased economic and quality-of-life benefits from youth, amateur, and national competitions.