Brand USA President and CEO to Step Down Next Year

Chris Thompson, the longtime president, and CEO of Brand USA, will retire from the organization at the end of May 2024. Thompson, who has been with Brand USA since 2012, will “pursue life beyond work” once his tenure wraps up on May 31, 2024.

“It has been an incredible privilege to serve as President and CEO of Brand USA,” said Thompson. “I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished together, and I am confident that the organization will continue to thrive under new leadership.”

In its announcement, Brand USA, which is responsible for marketing the U.S. and increasing international inbound travel, thanked Thompson for his time leading the organization.

“Under Chris’s strategic guidance, the Brand USA team has kept the USA the preferred travel destination in the world,” said Todd Davidson, Chair of the Brand USA Board and CEO of Travel Oregon.

“Chris’s integrity, tenacity, passion, and belief in the power of the travel and tourism industry to bring prosperity to all Americans, fueled the advancement of the US travel and tourism industry and established an organizational foundation of innovation, resiliency, and future-focused confidence. We all wish him the very best in his retirement.”

With help from an executive search firm, Brand USA will now undertake a search for a new President and CEO who it said will “build upon Thompson’s legacy and continue to drive the organization forward.”