MIAMI — Miami couldn’t have a better supporter than William Talbert III. A 50-year resident of the area, he has been with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) for 30 years, including the last 20 as President and CEO. He has now returned to his advisory role through October 2022 to help David Whitaker, formerly of the Chicago and Toronto offices, take over the leadership of the GMCVB.
“I look forward to helping Dave transition into this new role,” Talbert said. “He’s coming home, it’s a full circle moment.”
Whitaker began his career with the GMCVB, where he served from 1990 to 2007, most recently as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, before moving to a senior role at Tourism Toronto (now Destination Toronto) and then becoming President and CEO of Choose Chicago.
Talbert said the time felt right to move on – not retire, as he had big plans for the next stage of his career – because he had seen some of his team’s proudest accomplishments come to fruition.
Main achievements
Topping Talbert’s list of things to be proud of is the “reimagined” Miami Beach Convention Center, which underwent a transformative $600 million-plus renovation and expansion that included a new 60,000-square-foot ballroom, 127,000 square feet of new meeting space and a 500,000-square-foot exhibit hall. Talbert worked tirelessly to champion efforts to secure the funding that would breathe new life into the center, transforming it from a “windowless box” to a fully functioning center “that gives you a sense of place,” he said. What was once an adjacent asphalt lot is now a six-acre park with 500 trees, he added. “Now when you’re in the center, you know you’re in one of the greatest communities in the world.”
The LEED Silver-certified center opened just in time to host the annual Art Basel festival and the 2020 Super Bowl Experience for Super Bowl LV. Talbert is no stranger to the National Football League (NFL), having led the effort to win and host five Super Bowls, as well as three international powwows. “Hosting the Super Bowl was a great way to launch the new center,” he said. “The NFL is looking forward to coming back.”
He is also proud of the 800-room Grand Hyatt Miami Beach hotel that will house the headquarters, which will also be steps from the waterfront, the New World Symphony, the Bass Museum and the Fillmore Miami Beach, as well as direct access to the convention center and Lincoln Road Mall. To achieve this, the GMCVB partnered with community leaders to secure the required 60%+ voter turnout to approve it in a public referendum. “I am proud to tell you that 64% of voters said yes to the headquarters annex hotel,” Talbert said. “Not only was it 100% privately funded, but it will also contribute annually to the city’s operations.”
The downtown convention center complex is now complete and includes “world-class facilities for a world-class destination,” he added.
Diversity at the forefront
He is also proud of his work in establishing the Black Hospitality Initiative (BHI) of Greater Miami in 1993. The BHI’s mission is to increase the participation of African Americans in the tourism industry through hospitality scholarships, internships and mentorship programs.
The GMCVB also created a multicultural tourism and development department to better showcase Miami’s rich and diverse heritage. And the office itself has taken diversity, equity and inclusion to heart in its hiring practices, Talbert said. “While the DEI effort is a marathon, not a sprint, the diversity of our team and leadership now reflects the diversity of our community. None of my direct reports look like me.”
Advice for the next generation
Talbert has learned a lot during his long career, which began in the 1970s when he worked for the Dade County Parks and Recreation Department and then moved on to international women’s tennis before joining the GMCVB. “You get wiser as you go,” he said.
Among the things he learned are a few phrases and acronyms he tries to live by:
- TETW — team effort, team victory. “All the success I’ve had, I owe to the team here.”
- The harder I work, the luckier I get. “Hard work equals 90% success.”
- Be the best at your current job. “Everything else will take care of itself.”
- Be good to your people. “Understand where they are coming from and make them understand where you are coming from.”
- Family first. “I’m not sure I’ve always been there, but it’s so important.”
- Because kindness matters. “I have this image on a board in my office.”
- Don’t take yourself too seriously.
And then?
Talbert has no plans to rest on his laurels once he steps down from his role as an advisor to the office next fall. He added that he now plans to create a branding firm that will develop strategies to breathe new life and energy into existing brands.
“I’m optimistic about the future,” Talbert said. “Miami used to be a quiet city with great beaches. We still have 25 miles of beautiful beaches, but we’re also now one of the most popular cultural destinations in the world.”
“Mic dropped.”
Contact Bill Talbert at talbert@gmcvb.com or (305) 794-5418