Los Angeles, CA – Ernie Wooden Jr. will take over the reins of president and CEO of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (LA Tourism) from long-time executive Mark Liberman this month. Liberman announced his retirement last Spring.
Wooden previously was a senior executive with Beverly Hills-based Hilton Hotels Corp., where he led worldwide branding initiatives for Hilton. He also held operations responsibilities for properties in Mexico, the Caribbean and the U.S. Most recently, he was chief executive officer of Creative Consulting, a hotel consulting practice providing operations, valuation and brand selection services. He has resided in Los Angeles since 1999.
In announcing the news, Tom Mullen, chairman of the board of LA Tourism, said Wooden’s experience in hospitality branding and operations, as well as a proven track record in building relationships and driving business results, were key factors in bringing him aboard.
Mullen praised Liberman for his work steering “our industry through and out of the recession to enjoy record highs, including record-breaking hotel occupancy this year …” He added that LA Tourism looks forward to working with Wooden “to capitalize on the momentum our tourism industry is enjoying.”
A Brooklyn, NY native, Wooden will oversee an organization that supports tourism, convention, trade show and meetings activity for more than 40 million annual visitors who contribute $15 billion to the area’s economy.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said that Wooden “has the industry experience and knowledge to help us grow our convention and tourism business, ensuring Los Angeles is a leading destination of choice for visitors from around the world for years to come.”
Reach Ernest Wooden at (213) 624-7300 or ewooden@latourism.org; linkedin.com/ernestwooden
