In a recent enewsletter sent out by the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CVB), Mark McHugh member of the Executive Committee, Tourism Co-Chair, Branding Workgroup Chair, talks about his role as the Orlando/Orange County CVB Vice Chairman and his view on regionalism.
Meet the CVB Board of Directors
In order for you to "get to know" the CVB's Board of Directors, the member e-newsletter will regularly feature Question & Answer interviews with each. The interview below with Vice Chairman Mark McHugh marks the first in the series of interviews.
Meet Orlando/Orange County CVB Board Director Mark McHugh
Gatorland's Mark McHugh has served on the Orlando/Orange County CVB Board of Directors for the past three years and currently serves as vice chairman. As CEO & president of one of Central Florida's medium-sized attractions, McHugh brings an energetic perspective of a mid-sized business to the Board. Realizing that Tourism is an essential part of our community, McHugh also co-chairs the Tourism component of myregion.org.
Orlando/Orange County CVB (OOCVB): How long have you been at Gatorland as CEO?
Mark McHugh (MM): Six-and-a-half years.
OOCVB: What was your first job?
MM: House construction and waiting tables in high school.
OOCVB: How long have you lived in Orlando?
MM: I moved to Orlando in 1984 to work with SeaWorld Orlando as an animal trainer. I left in 1987, along with my future wife who was also an animal trainer, to work at the SeaWorld parks in San Diego and San Antonio. We returned to Orlando with SeaWorld Orlando in 1995.
OOCVB: Who is/was your mentor?
MM: For the past few years, I've been meeting quarterly with Dick Zalack [founder of Ohio-based Focus Four, a strategic development program for business leaders and entrepreneurs]. He's taught me to focus my goals, time, thoughts, and efforts on those activities that are really important in my life, not just my job. In terms of business, Dick has taught me to focus my time and energies primarily on those activities that grow our company and create wealth for our shareholders.
OOCVB: What advice would you give to someone just starting out in business?
MM: Number one, build positive relationships. Number two, you may have to modify your business model as you gain experience and face new challenges, but never ever stop trying.
OOCVB: What has been the key to your success?
MM: I listen more than I talk, and I'm quick with a smile. When you smile a lot, people like being around you and want to get involved with you.
OOCVB: What do you think will be the biggest challenge/opportunity facing the tourism industry this decade?
MM: For Central Florida, the challenge is global competition. The strength of established destinations plus the emergence of new tourism markets such as China places tremendous pressure on our region to remain the world's greatest vacation destination. The growing "regional mentality" in our industry recognizes that we are not competing against each other within the region, rather we must join resources to promote all of the assets of our community in order to compete globally.
OOCVB: What do you think is the biggest challenge/opportunity for positioning the community for the future?
MM: I think "fragmentation" of our community systems creates a challenge for successful decision-making. The history of growth in our seven-county region (Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Brevard, Volusia, Lake, and Polk) has resulted in more than 90 municipal and county governments. The complex issues we face as a community, however, do not stop at county or municipal boundaries. We've seen some great efforts, with solid results, to create regional alliances in specific systems such as the CVBs, the EDCs, the Sports Commission, the chambers, etc. But to tackle our complex growth issues, we need a forum that draws together seven-county representation from governments, private businesses and institutions (universities and not-for-profits) across a wide spectrum of expertise.
This is why I am so excited about myregion.org. This is the only organization that I am aware of that has pulled together a leadership group from the three sectors mentioned above that also has expertise across thirteen interactive systems that affect our community. It is an organization such as this that will provide the platform for meaningful dialogue among stakeholders throughout our region in order to ensure the success of our community in the 21st century.
More on Mark McHugh:
Birthplace: Odessa, Texas
Education: Southwest Texas State University, bachelor's in biology; University of Texas, master's in biology; University of Central Florida, MBA
Serves as Volunteer for Local Organizations: American Cancer Society (Relay for Life in Osceola County), board member; Foundation for Osceola Education, finance committee; Hospitality Industry Council, member; Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber of Commerce, board member; myregion.org, co-chairman for tourism; Orlando/Orange County CVB, board of directors; Osceola Resort Area Council, chairman; Ronald McDonald House, capital committee member; Rosen School of Hospitality Management at UCF, advisory board member.
Click here to view the CVB’s weekly enewsletter.
