Kimberly W. Murden

• Established Chesapeake’s tourism development department, positioning the city as a viable destination for the leisure traveler and group business while providing positive economic growth.
• Develop and implement the department’s marketing plan. Manage the public relations and advertising program, creating a tourism brand for Chesapeake. Work closely with the advertising agency, providing strategic and creative direction, and supervising all media purchased.
• Maintain a strong understanding of digital marketing and the new media opportunities it presents. Manage content on the VisitChesapeake.com website and update based on current events, visitor interaction, and seasonal promotions. Develop a monthly content calendar, making sure messaging is consistent across all channels.
• Conduct and analyze market research to determine strategic direction of marketing program and to measure results of campaigns launched.
• Work in partnership with the local tourism community to develop cooperative programs and packages that will attract new business to Chesapeake.
• Create and deliver presentations to meeting planners to inform them of the advantages of hosting their convention in Chesapeake. Developed an excellent track record and ability to negotiate complex requirements.
• Provide leadership and expertise to constituency groups including citizens, City Council, Chesapeake City Schools, tourism authorities, industry professionals, and co-workers.
• Lead the special events team for the City of Chesapeake, managing 21 events annually. Events include Celebrate Freedom Fireworks with over 15,000 attendees; Symphony Under the Stars; and Chesapeake Jubilee.
• For the period of 2013 – 2015 managed the daily operations of the Chesapeake Conference Center as the City evaluated external management of the Center. Responsibilities included operational oversight of the facility including financial, food and beverage, staffing, and sales.

Accomplishments:

• Virgo Award Winner: 2019 – Advertising Online; 2018 Advertising Interactive; 2017 Online & eMarketing and Print Marketing.
• Davey Award Silver Winner: 2018 VisitChesapeake.com Website
• Panel Member at the Simpleview Summit conference in 2019 on best practices of a new web design.

• Opened the Chesapeake Conference Center. Responsibilities included the development of the Center’s annual marketing plan and convention sales directed to the corporate and association markets.
• Oversaw the creative development of the advertising program and supervised all media purchased. Worked closely with the Center’s advertising agency, providing strategic and creative direction, and supervising all media purchased.
• Promoted the City of Chesapeake and the Chesapeake Conference Center, through written and oral presentations, to local and state planners interested in hosting their meetings, conventions, and/or social events at the Center.
• Managed and trained a sales team of six. Tracked booking pace and prepared monthly sales forecasts.
• Represented the City of Chesapeake as the tourism committee chair for OpSail 2000 and the 2001 AAU Junior Olympics.

Accomplishments:

• Received three Adrian Bronze Merit Awards from Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International in 1999 for excellence in hospitality marketing.
• Personally generated over $4 million in revenue for the Center from 1997 to 2002. Sales team revenue consistently exceeded budgeted revenue from 1998 to 2002.
• Positioned the Center as the premier site to host events in the Hampton Roads region. The Conference Center was voted the “Best Place to Get Down to Business” in HR magazine 2001 & 2002 Reader’s Choice Awards.