Senior Vice President, As the Senior Vice President at Hunden, Mr. Burt’s primary responsibility is developing and maintaining strong relationships with Mayors, City Managers and Economic Development Organizations for Hunden’s Placemaking Plans, destination development studies and implementation plans.
A seasoned leader in the hospitality industry encompassing Starwood hotels, convention centers with Spectra and Oak View Group, as well as Destination Marketing Organizations (DMO). Mr. Burt has held senior leadership positions with four major DMO’s and has led destinations through years of development that range from convention center expansion, new hotel, convention center hotel development, Film Office strategies, strategic branding, sales growth, government affairs driving revenue and organizational optimization. Burt’s experience across industry sectors informs his strategic thinking when building strategies
As President and CEO of Visit KC he was very successful in building relationships and collaborating with elected officials defeating legislation that could have negatively impacted local and regional tourism and the business community. Additionally, several sales initiatives focused on building a sports acquisition strategy with KC Sports Commission yield new premier sporting events for the city. Burt’s implementation of a new marketing strategy, digital platform and integration of sales and marketing led to the organization’s highest return on advertising effectiveness at $93.00 for every $1.00 invested. It additionally led to hotel occupancy and average daily rate (ADR) accelerating to a ten-year high which increased visitation and economic impact.