Grimmer Leaving Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau to Start Management Company

Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau CEO, Gary Grimmer, will be leaving his position at the end of the year to form a new international management company, Grimmer & Associates.

Upon his departure, Grimmer will have served as CEO of the bureau for eight years.

“These past years in Melbourne have been the absolute pinnacle of my Convention and Visitors Bureau management career,” Grimmer said. “But, after twenty two years, and four bureaus, I’ve decided I want to manage other things – organisations and projects with the potential to have a global impact on the travel and convention industries.”

Grimmer is currently Chairman of DOME (Data on Meeting and Events), an international foundation that is working to improve the nature, quality and  accessibility of statistical data relating to the world’s meetings industry. He has previously served as Chairman of the International Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus (IACVB) and as Chairman of the IACVB Foundation. Prior to moving to Melbourne, he was CEO of convention bureaus in Portland, Oregon and Albuquerque, New Mexico. He began his  bureau career in 1981, as Director of Communications of the Boston, Massachusetts Convention and Visitors Bureau, and later as the Boston Bureau’s Vice President of Administration.

Grimmer said that furthering the work of the DOME Foundation will be a key focus of his new international management company Grimmer & Associates he will be commencing on his departure from MCVB. Another project will be the development and management of a new company dedicated to providing commercial services to the world’s Conference & Visitors Bureau industry. He said that Grimmer & Associates will also be participating in a soon to be announced global consultancy network specialising in convention related issues. The new company which will commence on 5 January 2004, will be based in Melbourne.

MCVB Chair, Janine Kirk, said that MCVB, with the assistance of international search firm, Cordiner King, is commencing an executive search process with the goal of appointing a new Chief Executive by the end of 2003. She said that finding the right replacement for Grimmer would be no easy task.

“Gary has brought enormous energy and strategic thinking to the bureau,” she said. “He built and led a team that brought Melbourne up into the ‘A’ list of top rated international convention cities in the world. He plays a significant role in the leadership of the global industry. His international profile, and the high level of respect that he enjoys among his colleagues around the world, speaks for itself.”

Grimmer said that he owed a personal debt of gratitude to the people who recruited him to his post as CEO of MCVB. “Getting to serve as bureau CEO in one of the world’s greatest cities is an amazing honour and privilege. The opportunity to live in Australia has been, and will continue to be, a great adventure for my family.”

“While I will still be working hard for Melbourne for the next 6 months, I don’t want to miss the opportunity to thank the people around me.” Grimmer said. “I am blessed by an outstanding board which has given me incredible support and guidance over the years. I also want to thank our enormously talented staff for their creativity, enthusiasm and unwavering dedication and commitment to the cause.”