SEATTLE — Visit Seattle recently named Tammy Blount-Canavan as president and CEO, marking the first time in the organization’s history that Blount-Canavan has appointed a woman to the role. Blount-Canavan replaces Tom Norwalk, who recently retired after leading Visit Seattle for more than 15 years.
“I am honored to be the first woman to lead Visit Seattle and excited to join a broad group of women leading this incredible community,” Blount-Canavan said.
“I couldn’t be more excited for Tammy, our Visit Seattle team and our incredible city,” Norwalk said. “I’ve enjoyed working with Tammy over the years, from forming the Washington Tourism Alliance to on the streets of Shanghai representing and promoting our region to key clients and media in China. I’ve seen firsthand her knowledge and love of this city and region.”
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Originally from Vancouver, B.C., Blount-Canavan most recently served as executive vice president and director at Fired-Up! Culture, a business management consulting firm. She also served as president of the DMO trade association Destinations International.
“I was thrilled to learn that Tammy Blount-Canavan has been selected to succeed Tom Norwalk as our new president and CEO,” Don Welsh, president and CEO of Destinations International, said in a statement. “Tammy is an experienced and passionate leader who has a deep understanding of the Seattle region and its many offerings for leisure visitors, meetings and conventions, and business travelers.”
Blount-Canavan served as president and CEO of the Tacoma Regional CVB from 2008 to 2012, and was president and CEO of the Monterey County CVB, for which she received the CEO of the Year award.
She has received numerous accolades during her three decades in the industry, including being recognized as one of the 25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry and twice as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in the Industry. She was named a 2019 Global Leadership Award recipient by Destination International and has been recognized as Community Leader of the Year, Sustainability Advocate for the California Travel Association and Leader for Positive Impact by the Canadian Impact Conference.
Contact Tammy Blount-Caravan at tcanavan@visitseattle.org