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Frank O’Brien began his career as executive director of the Wheeling/ Ohio County Convention and Visitors Bureau on January 6, 2006..
Under the leadership of O’Brien, the Wheeling CVB received a three year certification from the West Virginia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus. As director of the Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau, O’Brien serves as chief administrative and operating officer of the bureau and is responsible for the daily functions of the bureau including accounting, overseeing disbursements of funds and preparing the annual budget.As director along with his marketing manager Liv Litman they created a comprehensive tourism-marketing plan and long term strategic plan for the city of Wheeling and Ohio County, West Virginia necessary to promote tourism, meetings, and conventions in the Wheeling/Ohio County area.
O’Brien serves on a number of Ohio County boards including the Mayor’s Downtown Economic Re-vitalization Commission. He is also a member of a downtown Wheeling marketing partnership with the city of Wheeling, Wheeling Chamber of Commerce, the Wheeling National Heritage Area Corporation and the Regional Economic Development Corporation. O’Brien serves as a founding board member of the city of Wheeling’s On-Trac program, a precursor to Main Street.
O’Brien was graduated in July 2008 from the Destination Marketing Association International’s Executive Program in Destination Management. He received his Certified Destination Management Credentials in Las Vegas. O’Brien is the only CDME in working in the state of West Virginia. The advanced tourism and destination management educational courses are delivered in conjunction with Purdue University. The main challenge of the Executive Program is to prepare senior executives and managers of destination marketing organizations for increasing change and competition. The focus is on vision, leadership, productivity and implementation of business strategies. Demonstrating the value of a destination team and improving personal performance through effective organizational and industry leadership are the outcomes.
As a former highly respected broadcast news journalist, O’Brien has secured many long lasting contacts in all aspects of business and government. These contacts continue to prove successful in increasing awareness of the mission of the Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau among city/county officials and the general public. O’Brien is a strong communicator and has effectively used those strengths to gain expertise in marketing the Wheeling/Ohio County area as a tourist destination.