VISIT FLORIDA Official Media Newsroom

Governor Crist Appoints Eight to the Florida Commission on Tourism

NEWS RELEASE TOPIC:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 2009

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TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today announced the following appointments and reappointments:

Florida Commission on Tourism
(Senate confirmation required)

• Julian “Ed” Fouche, 61, of Windermere, senior vice president of sales, Disney Destinations, reappointed for a term beginning April 8, 2009, and ending June 30, 2012.

• Richard B. Goldman, 53, of Ponte Vedra Beach, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Amelia Island Plantation, reappointed for a term beginning April 8, 2009, and ending June 30, 2012.

• Richard O. Gonzmart, 56, of Tampa, president, Columbia Restaurant Group, reappointed for a term beginning April 8, 2009, and ending June 30, 2012

• Tammy S. Gustafson, 38, of Winter Garden, director of national sales, Universal Orlando Resort, reappointed for a term beginning April 8, 2009, and ending June 30, 2012.

• Antonino “Tony” Lapi, 61, of Sanibel Island, president, Rochester Resorts, reappointed for a term beginning April 8, 2009, and ending June 30, 2012.

• Harold D. Wheeler, 62, of Key West, marketing director, Visit Florida Keys, reappointed for a term beginning April 8, 2009, and ending June 30, 2012.

• John J. Perez, 39, of Punta Gorda, general manager of Wyrern Hotel in Punta Gorda, succeeding Carlos A. Cabrera, appointed for a term beginning April 8, 2009, and ending June 30, 2009.

• Scott E. Rose, 51, of Orlando, vice president of marketing strategy and planning, Busch Entertainment Corporation, succeeding James Atchison, appointed for a term beginning April 8, 2009, and ending June 30, 2012

As the state’s number one industry, tourism is responsible for welcoming more than 80 million visitors each year, which results in over $60 billion in taxable sales revenue and employs in excess of 1 million Floridians. For every $1 spent on tourism marketing, VISIT FLORIDA – the state’s official tourism marketing corporation – generates more than $55 in tourism spending and $3 in new sales tax collections, paid by visitors, not residents. VISIT FLORIDA promotes tourism to Florida through sales, advertising, promotions, public relations, new product development and visitor services programs. As a public/private partnership VISIT FLORIDA has more than 3,100 tourism industry Partners and major strategic alliances with American Express Travel Related Services, AirTran Airways, Disney Destinations, Dollar Rent A Car, The Hertz Corporation, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and Universal Orlando. To learn more about VISIT FLORIDA, visit www.VISITFLORIDA.org.