Hunden Partners (Hunden), a full-service, real estate development and tourism consulting firm known for its expertise in placemaking, announces that two internationally respected destination leaders have been hired as Executive Vice Presidents. Jay Burress joins as Executive Vice President of Tourism, and Bethanie DeRose, CDME, joins as Executive Vice President of Consulting, both bringing extensive destination planning and development experience to the firm.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jay and Bethanie to the team. The number of clients requesting placemaking plans, tourism strategies and feasibility studies for catalytic destination assets continues to grow, so we are expanding our expertise and capacity with top industry leaders to meet the industry’s needs,” says Hunden CEO & Founder Rob Hunden. “Nobody is better equipped to advise our DMO clients of all budget sizes to lead the charge in tourism and placemaking in the way that Jay can because he’s been in their shoes. Bethanie’s data-driven approach to consulting on tourism plans, convention center strategies and destination organization advisory has delivered game-changing results. I can’t wait to create more impact in the communities we serve with the addition of this powerhouse duo.”
Burress, most recently the CEO of Visit Anaheim for 11 years, is a Destination Management Organization (DMO) leader who has transformed destinations like Anaheim, Dallas, and Arlington through placemaking and tourism efforts, while furthering the quality-of-life assets for residents for over 35 years. He has hosted mega events including the Super Bowl, World Cup, and NBA All-Star games, played a pivotal role in the expansion of the Anaheim Convention Center, and collaborated on the development of AT&T Stadium and the evolution of Disneyland. As EVP of Tourism at Hunden Partners, his primary focus will be on the development of placemaking plans as he bolsters Hunden’s tourism and DMO services. This includes oversight of destination development studies and implementation efforts for client’s major tourism assets such as convention centers, sports facilities, destination districts and major events.
“I’ve always enjoyed placemaking as a DMO leader, and I truly believe that it’s the next evolution in our industry,” says Burress. “For the next phase of my career, I intentionally sought an entrepreneurially minded firm with an international reach and an impressive track record, and I am delighted to find all of that in Hunden. My goal is to make Hunden the go-to-resource for placemaking planning and execution.”
DeRose is a highly regarded advisor to tourism, hospitality, and convention industry leaders with expertise on both the operations side and the planning side, building strategies for destinations across the U.S. and internationally. She is known as a research-driven, evidence-based strategist and decision maker with an ability to vision with practicality in mind. Currently, DeRose is part of spearheading the largest DMO-led statewide tourism strategic plan in the United States for Visit California. Her previous work as EVP at JLL, co-leading the Global Tourism & Destination Advisory Practice in hundreds of destinations, informs her role at Hunden in overseeing the development and delivery of studies, master plans, strategic plans, and advisory work. Under DeRose’s leadership, that practice has increased five-fold over an eight-year period.
“Many of my projects start as ideas on paper and turn into literal, and philosophical, shovels in the ground. That only happens when good process drives and leads to solutions,” says DeRose. “I’m excited to support more clients at Hunden as they look to grow their destinations while simultaneously improving the quality of place.”
In addition to her responsibilities at Hunden, DeRose will continue to consult for Visit California’s project, which aims to craft 12 regional tourism strategic plans to assist tourism stakeholders, local communities, and civic collaborators in planning for the future of their destinations over the next 10 years.
For more information about the services offered by Hunden Partners, visit www.hunden.com.
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