The new CEO of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, Christopher Bowers, a former longtime United Airlines executive, plans to stress the inherent geographic and competitive advantages his city offers as the additional value corporate buyers seek during the process of destination selection.
Chicago's central geographic location, its frequency of nonstop flights to many international locations, direct competition between United and American airlines at O'Hare International Airport and extensive Southwest and ATA airlines service to Chicago Midway Airport all can offer the type of savings that can influence site selection, Bowers said.
"We're going to get back to the importance of making customers aware of the flexibility and ease of meeting in Chicago," he said.
Bowers, who in the spring of 2003 left United as its senior vice president of sales and reservations after 30 years with the airline
(BTN, June 9, 2003), today officially begins his tenure as head of the Chicago CTB. Bowers replaces Jim Reilly, who in October announced his intention not to seek an extension of his contract, which expires March 31.
Reilly had served as the CCTB's CEO since December 1998, when the bureau decided to split the positions of president and CEO
(Meetings Today, Dec. 7, 1998), both then held by Paul Astleford, who now serves as the president of the Columbus, Ohio, convention and visitors bureau.
The CCTB board of directors on March 1 selected Bowers after a four-month candidate search by Chicago-based Heidrick and Struggles yielded 25 contenders from for-profit companies, nonprofit associations and convention and visitors bureaus. "Chris' experience makes him well positioned to lead Chicago into the competitive future where return on investment is critical for all customers," said CCTB board chairman Richard Simon, also president and CEO of United Service Cos., a large janitorial services firm.
Bowers declined to discuss any new sales strategies designed to compete with other large meeting and convention cities, noting at press time that he was not yet CEO. Yet, he stressed Chicago's advantages will be attractive to buyers at a time when the corporate meetings industry is trying to emerge from an extended economic slump.
"There's clearly some movement back to meetings, and things are improving, though I would not call it a rebound," Bowers said. "Occupancy rates are getting better. There's been a lot of pent-up demand for face-to-face meetings, especially training."
Corporate meeting and incentive sales fell under Bowers' responsibilities in his final position at United, and he said that particular industry segment will be a "significant focus" of the CCTB. "It was an integral part of my prior life," he said. "It is imperative to retain that corporate business."
Airline competition is one key to securing it, Bowers said. "Chicago benefits with United, American and the international carriers at O'Hare, and Southwest and ATA have significant service to Midway," he said. "We're fortunate for having that, and we want to play off it. There's the convenience, also airfares stay low, which makes Chicago more attractive and more competitive against other international and domestic locations."
Bowers' career at United ranged from his beginning as an airfreight supervisor to several sales, reservations, marketing and operational positions, culminating with his final senior executive role. He played key roles in developing corporate sales accounts at United's O'Hare hub and the implementation and expansion of the Star Alliance, United's international partnership with Lufthansa, Air Canada and 12 other carriers. "I enjoyed my 30 years at United, but the timing was right to see what else was out there and what else I wanted," he said.