Visit Wichita Announces Appointment of Howell

The sales team at Visit Wichita plays a vital role: attracting new conventions, conferences and events to Wichita and enhancing economic development by bringing in national, regional and state conventions to the city. The role of sports sales manager is unique as it is the organization’s sole position responsible for attracting sporting events to the city. Josh Howell, formerly of the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission (GWASC), recently took on this role. 

He is responsible for developing relationships with local, regional and national sports stakeholders to attract sporting events and sports conventions and meetings to Wichita. 

“I love meeting new people and visiting new cities, and my new role will involve a lot of that,” said Howell. “I also love Wichita and am looking forward to the challenge of working to bring the biggest and best sporting events to the city.”

Howell received his Masters of Education in Sport Management from Wichita State University. Prior to joining Visit Wichita, he was the director of development, events & marketing at GWASC, and has more than 10 years of experience in sports sales and marketing.

“I’m a people person with a huge passion for sports. My father played major league baseball so I’ve grown up around sports and love seeing all of the benefits sports can bring to competitors and spectators alike,” Howell said.

His role at GWASC was overseeing events such as the Wichita Corporate Challenge and Region VI Basketball Championships. He had a key role in planning both the Prairie Fire Marathon and Johnny Bench Awards, among many other sporting events in Wichita throughout the year. He spent three years as marketing manager at INTRUST Bank Arena and prior to that, spent eight years in college athletics at the University of Arizona, Wichita State University and the University of Arkansas.

“I am very excited to begin my role as sports sales manager at Visit Wichita. My last two positions have given me the opportunity to develop relationships within the sports industry, specifically in the Wichita community, and I’m looking forward to continuing to grow and expand upon them,” said Howell. “Additionally, Wichita has so much momentum right now. I can’t wait to work with our local venues to keep that energy going by bringing in national sporting events that our community so greatly deserves.”

The sales team, led by Vice President of Sales Moji Rosson, consists of Howell, three additional sales managers and two convention service professionals. For more information, visit VisitWichita.com/meeting-planners.  

About Visit Wichita: Visit Wichita markets the greater Wichita area as a major convention and tourism destination, thereby enhancing the economic development of the city, county, region and state. Visit Wichita is led by president and CEO Susie Santo, and in 2017 travel and tourism contributed more than $1 billion in economic impact to the greater Wichita area.