After nearly eight years of service to this coastal community, Kurt Burkhart, the executive director of the Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau, finished out his last day as tourism chief Dec. 15.
Burkhart and his family moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, where he will be the director and CEO of the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau. He takes over where his longtime friend, Mark Shore, left off after leading that bureau for eight years.
“Kurt possesses the energy, drive, passion, professionalism and skills to lead our organization to further success and recognition as a premier destination marketing organization,” said Bryan Elliott, chairman of the Charlottesville Albemarle CVB board. “His leadership will enhance the role tourism has as an economic stimulus for our local community.”
Burkhart said that his return to Virginia is like a dream come true and he looks forward to many personal reunions with lifetime friends.
“Once a Virginian, always a Virginian,” he said proudly.
Since starting his position with the Carlsbad CVB on Dec. 20, 2000, Burkhart has become a highly respected leader in the community.
Former Carlsbad City Councilwoman Norine Sigafoose recalled her impression of Burkhart when he first met the bureau's entire board.
“He was confident, showed tremendous enthusiasm and seemed to be creating a vision for the bureau from day one of his coming on board,” Sigafoose said.
Randy Chapin, general manager of the Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort, described Burkhart as an eternal optimist who upholds high ethical standards.
“He is also a visionary who never ceases to amaze me with his energy and commitment to both the community and the organization he's tasked with leading,” Chapin said.
Robin Young, executive director of the Carlsbad Village Business Association agreed.
“Kurt is a leader who understands that leadership is not about power plays, but about setting an example of integrity and gaining the respect of his peers through hard work and dedication to his mission,” she said. “He is a consensus builder who has a proven record of seeing the big picture and placing the needs of the community he serves in the forefront of his decision making.”
An example of that came in August 2002 when Burkhart told his board of directors that the Carlsbad CVB needed to pursue the creation of a business improvement district, or BID, to meet the city's ongoing call to find supplemental sources of funding. For years, the bureau was funded by the city to provide marketing and promotional services to attract potential visitors.
In November 2005, the Carlsbad City Council approved the BID, making Carlsbad the 13th city in the state to approve an assessment district for tourism marketing.
“Burkhart brought the concept of a tourism business improvement district to our community, and Carlsbad was the first city in San Diego County to establish a tourism BID,” said Patrick Fearn, a former two-term Carlsbad CVB board chairman. “The Carlsbad Tourism BID now generates over $900,000 annually, money that is exclusively spent to market and promote Carlsbad.”
Burkhart, who has long been active in state and local politics, is a former Spotsylvania County Planning Commissioner and was reappointed in the early '80s to a second term on the Fairfax County Tenant Landlord Commission. He also is an active Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow with the Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club.
A familiar face in Virginia politics, former two-term Lt. Gov. Donald S. Beyer said he is pleased Burkhart is moving back home.
“Shortly after I had made the decision to run for lieutenant governor in the late '80s, Kurt was one of the first of many whom I met with to discuss my ideas and plans for Virginia,” Beyer said. “I look forward to his family's return.”
Burkhart and his family moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, where he will be the director and CEO of the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau. He takes over where his longtime friend, Mark Shore, left off after leading that bureau for eight years.
“Kurt possesses the energy, drive, passion, professionalism and skills to lead our organization to further success and recognition as a premier destination marketing organization,” said Bryan Elliott, chairman of the Charlottesville Albemarle CVB board. “His leadership will enhance the role tourism has as an economic stimulus for our local community.”
Burkhart said that his return to Virginia is like a dream come true and he looks forward to many personal reunions with lifetime friends.
“Once a Virginian, always a Virginian,” he said proudly.
Since starting his position with the Carlsbad CVB on Dec. 20, 2000, Burkhart has become a highly respected leader in the community.
Former Carlsbad City Councilwoman Norine Sigafoose recalled her impression of Burkhart when he first met the bureau's entire board.
“He was confident, showed tremendous enthusiasm and seemed to be creating a vision for the bureau from day one of his coming on board,” Sigafoose said.
Randy Chapin, general manager of the Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort, described Burkhart as an eternal optimist who upholds high ethical standards.
“He is also a visionary who never ceases to amaze me with his energy and commitment to both the community and the organization he's tasked with leading,” Chapin said.
Robin Young, executive director of the Carlsbad Village Business Association agreed.
“Kurt is a leader who understands that leadership is not about power plays, but about setting an example of integrity and gaining the respect of his peers through hard work and dedication to his mission,” she said. “He is a consensus builder who has a proven record of seeing the big picture and placing the needs of the community he serves in the forefront of his decision making.”
An example of that came in August 2002 when Burkhart told his board of directors that the Carlsbad CVB needed to pursue the creation of a business improvement district, or BID, to meet the city's ongoing call to find supplemental sources of funding. For years, the bureau was funded by the city to provide marketing and promotional services to attract potential visitors.
In November 2005, the Carlsbad City Council approved the BID, making Carlsbad the 13th city in the state to approve an assessment district for tourism marketing.
“Burkhart brought the concept of a tourism business improvement district to our community, and Carlsbad was the first city in San Diego County to establish a tourism BID,” said Patrick Fearn, a former two-term Carlsbad CVB board chairman. “The Carlsbad Tourism BID now generates over $900,000 annually, money that is exclusively spent to market and promote Carlsbad.”
Burkhart, who has long been active in state and local politics, is a former Spotsylvania County Planning Commissioner and was reappointed in the early '80s to a second term on the Fairfax County Tenant Landlord Commission. He also is an active Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow with the Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club.
A familiar face in Virginia politics, former two-term Lt. Gov. Donald S. Beyer said he is pleased Burkhart is moving back home.
“Shortly after I had made the decision to run for lieutenant governor in the late '80s, Kurt was one of the first of many whom I met with to discuss my ideas and plans for Virginia,” Beyer said. “I look forward to his family's return.”