Following the retirement of former President and CEO Bob Jameson in late April, Visit Fort Worth promoted Mitch Whitten to the position at the end of May. Whitten has been with the organization since 2013, first hired by Jameson as vice president of marketing and working his way up to chief operating officer prior to accepting his new leadership role.
“After a significant national search, Mitch was the clear choice to lead Visit Fort Worth,” says Susan Alanis, chair of the organization’s board of directors, in a prepared statement. “His track record of putting Fort Worth on the map through innovative marketing and organizational leadership will serve us well in the years ahead.”
Building on Jameson’s legacy, Whitten will focus on continuing to grow Fort Worth’s tourism and hospitality sectors, as well as develop business avenues for the expanding Fort Worth Convention Center, which is currently undergoing its Phase 2 renovations that are slated to be completed in 2030. “This is an important moment for Fort Worth, and I am proud of the team we have assembled to accelerate our progress on the national stage,” says Whitten. “The city’s investments in the convention center, Dickies Arena, and other hospitality venues and attractions create a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver jobs and support local business.”
Prior to his work at Visit Fort Worth, Whitten was the executive director of integrated marketing at his alma mater, Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where he graduated with a degree in history and journalism before embarking on his tourism journey.
