Brian Lowack, President and CEO of Visit St. Pete/Clearwater. (Photo Credit: Visit St. Pete/Clearwater)
WHY IT RATES: The Pinellas County native has demonstrated tremendous leadership in previous roles and has the support of numerous key players in the industry.—Patrick Clarke, TravelPulse Senior Editor
Pinellas County Administrator Barry Burton today announced he has named Brian Lowack the President/CEO of Visit St. Pete/Clearwater. Lowack had served as the head of the official Pinellas County tourism marketing and management organization in an interim capacity since June.
“Brian is the right person to continue to guide the Visit St. Pete/Clearwater team and deliver exceptional results for our industry partners while driving growth in visitation,” Burton said. “As a Pinellas County native, Brian has an incredible passion and commitment to our community and is the perfect person to promote our slice of paradise to visitors near and abroad. I have witnessed his leadership ability during these last few months, building a team and a culture that creates immense pride from our residents, business leaders and elected officials."
“I could not be more pleased or excited for Brian,” said Janet Long, Pinellas County Commission Chair and Tourism Development Council Chair. “He has been working toward this pivotal moment in his career since the day he started in County Government. Not only is he bright and a quick learner, Brian is a walking, talking advertisement for Pinellas County and all it has to offer. I was able to witness his professionalism and expertise during our recent trade mission to Brazil as he easily engaged with the presidents and CEOs of major tour operators in the country to promote our destination.”
“I would like to thank the County Commission, Tourist Development Council, County Administration and the Visit St. Pete Clearwater team for this opportunity,” Lowack said. “More than anything, I am proud of our team. This reflects their hard work, passion, and belief in the direction of the organization and the destination. We have an incredible team of professionals at Visit St. Pete/Clearwater that understand the importance tourism plays in our local economy, and who are proud to come to work every day to serve the residents and industry leaders in the destination. We will continue to find innovative ways to promote our destination and keep St. Pete/Clearwater as a top tourism destination.”
The St. Pete/Clearwater destination is on pace for its best tourism year in Pinellas County history. Pinellas County is home to America's Best Beaches, a vibrant arts community, a growing culinary scene, and amazing outdoor experiences. The area was named among the top 100 most-loved travel destinations in the world, and Forbes recently named St. Pete among its "Best Places to Travel in the U.S." for 2023.
Lowack joined Pinellas County Government in December 2012 and has held various roles in the organization, including Intergovernmental Liaison, Interim Director of Housing and Community Development, and Assistant to the County Administrator – serving as liaison to the mid-County region and the beaches community. In these roles he has managed the county’s state and federal legislative programs and worked closely with leaders within individual communities to identify and execute initiatives and improvements within the community.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Lowack is actively involved in various community organizations, including the International City and County Management Association and the Florida City and County Management Association. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of South Florida and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration at Clemson University.
SOURCE: Visit St. Pete/Clearwater press release.
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