The Commerce Department abruptly fired five of the 11 members of the Brand USA board last week, including its chair, Destination DC CEO Elliott Ferguson.
Brand USA is the U.S.’s destination marketing organization, funded and operated by government and private sector entities.
Elliott Ferguson
An email viewed by Travel Weekly indicated the board member positions were terminated effective immediately on behalf of Howard Lutnick, the Secretary of Commerce.
A Commerce Department spokesperson said in a Monday statement, “Pursuant to the Brand USA bylaws, the service of five members of the board of directors has ended. The Department of Commerce thanks them for their service and looks forward to bringing the best and brightest leaders to the Brand USA board to grow travel and tourism across the United States.”
A spokesperson for Destination DC confirmed Monday that Ferguson is no longer Brand USA’s board chair, just months into a one-year term that began in December. Allen Orr, who up until last week was Brand USA’s board secretary, confirmed that he was removed from the board on Friday. Orr is the founder of Orr Immigration, a law firm in Washington, D.C.
According to sources, two other board members who were removed also held officer titles. One was the Brand USA board’s vice chair, Lauren Bailey, who is CEO and co-founder of Upward Projects, a restaurant development and hospitality company. The other was the board’s treasurer, Kristen Esposito, a principal at tourism marketing consultancy Esposito Global Partners.
Travel news website Skift identified the other dismissed board member — Tim Mapes, Delta’s chief marketing and communications officer.
A Brand USA spokesperson declined to comment on the removals, referring all inquiries to the Commerce Department and saying that the department is Brand USA’s appointing authority.
As of last week, the 11-person board also included Gus Antorcha, president of Princess Cruises; Danny Hughes, president of the Americas for Hilton; and Stephanie Young, president of Disney Vacation Club, Adventures & Expeditions.
This report was updated on April 28 to add that the Commerce Department said five Brand USA board members were dismissed.