Experience Sonoma Valley, California, the destination marketing organization for Sonoma Valley, today announced its new Executive Director, Tim Zahner, who will take the reigns on August 20.
“We [the board] spent a lot of time searching for the right candidate to lead the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau,” said board President Hunt Bailie. “Sonoma Valley is a world-class place to visit with a great local community, and we needed to find someone who understands who we are at our core, while also having the skills to promote the incredible experiences, businesses, organizations and events we have here. Tim is the perfect fit.”
Zahner was most recently the Chief Operating Officer of Sonoma County Tourism, after serving as the Interim CEO and as the Chief Marketing Officer of Sonoma County Tourism for more than 10 years. During the October 2017 wildfires he led SCT’s immediate response from the hospitality industry as well as the “open for business” messaging in the months following. Zahner has experience in communications and marketing, organizational development and strategy, having been part of Sonoma County Tourism’s growth from a $3 million to an $8.5 million marketing and sales organization.
Some of the programs he was integral in rolling out include off-season promotions, a robust content and video strategy, public relations programs and a community engagement program that worked with stakeholder groups to address tourism issues.
“I look forward to working with the entire Sonoma Valley community as we create a sustainable hospitality economy,” Zahner said. “Sonoma Valley is a community of farmers, artisans and families that attracts visitors from around the world. I am ready to join with the staff and board at Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau to continue their good work and look forward to working with the community to benefit Sonoma Valley.”
