Houston's got a new top promoter in town. Jay Zeidman, already a fixture on the board of Houston First, the city's destination marketing organization, is being tapped to step up as its Board Chairman. Mayor John Whitmire made the announcement, stating the appointment is set, pending the nod from City Council.
Serving since 2017, Zeidman's tenure on the Houston First board, or HFC, has been marked by moves to strengthen the city's hospitality and tourism sector. Notably, he served as Vice Chair of the finance committee and was pivotal in securing the 2028 Republican National Convention for Houston. "I’m pleased to appoint Jay to this important post with one of our city’s leading organizations," Mayor Whitmire stated in a news release by the City of Houston.
Whitmire's hoping the appointment of Zeidman will continue HFC's streak of "big things," citing a confident future under the guidance of CEO Michael Heckman and Zeidman. They are looking toward a "game-changing plan" leveraging SB 1057 to revamp the George R. Brown Convention Center and its environs.
Having cut his teeth in venture capital at Altitude Ventures, Zeidman expressed his gratitude for the nomination and readiness to serve the community, as mentioned by the City of Houston news release: "I am truly grateful to Mayor Whitmire and would be honored to serve in the role as Chair of the Board of Houston First."
It's in HFC's hands to not only upsell Houston as a travel and convention destination but also dish out the city’s flavor, from its culinary tastes to arts and innovations. Their leadership, as Zeidman takes the helm, rides on a tide of recovery in the post-pandemic epoch, having logged a record number of future meetings and even outstripping 2022's figures. Big events are on the horizon, like Gastech, rolling in this September with its 14,000 participants.
David Mincberg, Zeidman's predecessor, made his exit on Jan. 2 after nearly eight years at the helm. Mayor Whitmire acknowledged Mincberg's contributions to the organization in a statement, tipping his hat to the outgoing chairman for his tenure.
