Washington County Visitors Association Announces New President and CEO
BEAVERTON, Ore. (April 7, 2021) – After a nationwide search, the board of directors for the Washington County Visitors Association (WCVA) selected Dave Parulo, president of Meet Chicago Northwest to lead the 38-year-old organization as its new president and chief executive officer. Mr. Parulo will succeed current CEO, Carolyn E. McCormick, on June 1, 2021.
A 30-year hospitality professional, Parulo previously worked as a hotel executive for Starwood and Hilton branded hotels in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Minneapolis and Washington DC. Read Mr. Parulo’s bio >>>
“Dave brings a strong background in meetings and convention sales and an extensive knowledge of the hospitality industry, which will help Washington County as we emerge from the global pandemic”, said KL Wombacher, general manager of the Hillsboro Hops and chair of the WCVA’s board of directors.
The Washington County Visitors Association launched a nationwide search for McCormick’s successor in January 2021. Mr. Parulo starts his new position on June 1, 2021.
“I am honored and excited to be joining the Washington County Visitors Association as the chief tourism promoter of its sixteen communities and the vibrant Tualatin Valley,” Parulo said. “I look forward to the next step of my hospitality career and to establishing collaborative relationships with the travel and business communities in Oregon”
McCormick has served as the President & CEO of the WCVA since March 2012. During her tenure, she oversaw many milestones for the destination, including the rebranding of the destination to “Tualatin Valley” and spearheading a capital grant program pumping millions of dollars in grant funding in destination development projects. In addition, she played a significant role in the WCVA’s contribution to the construction of the Wingspan Event and Conference Center. Read Ms. McCormick’s statement >>>
“It has been a pleasure and honor to be a part of shaping Tualatin Valley as a great place to visit, said Ms. McCormick. “The WCVA is in an exciting position as we enter a new rebuilding phase of the destination.”
“We want to thank Carolyn for the amazing job she has done over her nine years here,” added Wombacher. “She is a true professional and friend to all of us and she will be deeply missed. We wish her all the best in her next endeavor.”
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON COUNTY VISITORS ASSOCIATION
The Washington County Visitors Association (WCVA) is a non-profit destination marketing organization that serves the region’s tourism industry by actively promoting Washington County, Oregon (branded as “Tualatin Valley) to business and leisure travelers, sports and event planners, meeting planners and group tour operators as a desired travel destination.
ABOUT TUALATIN VALLEY
Tualatin Valley is scenically situated between Portland and the Oregon Coast in the Pacific Northwest. The valley is the gateway to the famed Willamette Valley wine country and the Tillamook Forest, and provides an array of outdoor recreation opportunities, scenic wetlands and wildlife preserves, performing and visual arts, superb dining, and tax-free shopping. The destination’s thriving business sector includes the Nike World Headquarters, Columbia Sportswear Corporate Headquarters, Leupold & Stevens Corporate Headquarters, Intel Corporate and numerous other high-tech businesses.
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