Choose Chicago, the official sales and marketing organization responsible for promoting Chicago as a global visitor and meetings destination, has announced that president & CEO Lynn Osmond (pictured) has decided to leave the organisation effective 31 January, 2024, to focus her time and energies on a family health matter. “It has been gratifying to serve as CEO of Choose Chicago for nearly two years, but, right now, I have to put my family first,” Osmond said. “I know this is the right decision for me, my family, and for the organisation at this time as we gear up for a very busy year with the 2024 Democratic National Convention coming to town.” “Choose Chicago is grateful for Lynn’s service to the organisation and our city,” said Choose Chicago Board chair Glenn Eden. “Under her leadership, the organisation has made great strides and is well-positioned for the future.” During Osmond’s time leading the organisation, the city secured and hosted major national and international events such as the 2024 Democratic National Convention and the city’s first-ever NASCAR race, generating global media exposure for the city; travel recovered from pandemic levels to achieve a projected 54.5 million visitors in 2023, resulting in an all-time record in summer hotel revenue and tax collections; and Condé Nast Traveler readers named Chicago the Best Big City in the US for an unprecedented seventh consecutive year. Osmond was appointed president & CEO of Choose Chicago in March 2022. Rich Gamble will act as interim CEO following Osmond’s departure. Gamble currently serves on the Choose Chicago Board as chair of the Nominating Committee and, as a member of the Executive Committee, will assume this interim role as the organisation begins its search process for a chief executive officer.
- Choose Chicago and the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) have announces that the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) has committed to hosting its Annual Meeting in Chicago through 2032. The RSNA Annual Meeting, which takes place every fall at McCormick Place, is one of the largest and most impactful events on Chicago’s annual convention calendar. This year’s convention welcomed over 40,000 registrants, nearly 40% of which were international visitors, and had an economic impact of more than $115m. “Chicago is the greatest convention town in America, and RSNA’s long-term commitment is a testament to our ability to host global events of all sizes,” said Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson. “The hundreds of thousands of conventiongoers that will visit Chicago over the coming decade for this annual event will experience the unmatched accessibility, outstanding hospitality, and vibrant neighborhoods that we are known for throughout the world.”
