Tourism executive out at chamber
An executive with the tourism unit of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce parted ways with the agency.
J.R. Shaw, who served as executive director of the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency for six years before its merger with the chamber late last year, was serving as senior vice president of tourism under the new arrangement.
Jeff Kotula, president of the chamber and the tourism unit, said Wednesday the agency does not discuss personnel matters.
Shaw, 55, of East Washington, was hired in October 2007 by WCTPA, joining the agency after working as group and international sales director of VisitPittsburgh.
His arrival at the tourism agency occurred just before the 2008 opening of Tanger Outlets, the 2009 debut of the permanent casino at The Meadows, the expansion of the natural gas extraction industry and the wave of hotel construction that followed along Racetrack Road and Meadowlands Boulevard.
During his six-year tenure at WCTPA, which derives its revenue from the county’s hotel tax, he expanded the agency’s advertising and promotions budget, launching an advertising campaign that depicted the county’s namesake, George Washington, in a variety of local tourist venues and directed the ads to markets from which the county draws the majority of its visitors. The agency also expanded its tourism grants program to nonprofits related to tourism in the county.
“I am proud and honored to have served the hospitality community of Washington County for the past seven years, supported by the most talented and cooperative staff and stakeholders a tourism executive could ever have,” Shaw said in an email. “I thank the current and past board of directors, Washington County commissioners and members of their administration for this wonderful experience, and wish them all the best.”
In December, WCTPA merged with the chamber of commerce, with Kotula assuming the additional title of president of the tourism agency and Shaw named to the new position of senior vice president of tourism.
In announcing the merger at the time, WCTPA board member Mark Alterici said the management consolidation with the chamber was part of the continued evolution of the organization. He stated the combination was “in the best interest of our business community, tourism assets and taxpayers for each organization to concentrate on their core competencies, but also look for ways to coordinate messaging, maximize efforts and minimize costs.”