Tourism organization names new executive

NAPLES — Jeffrey John has joined the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau as sports development manager. The organization serves as Collier County’s department of tourism. 

John will work with Collier County Parks and Recreation as well as national, state and local governing bodies to solicit and retain sports tourism events in the region, according to a statement. He will also join the planning team for Collier County’s new amateur sports complex under development in eastern Naples, near Interstate 75 at Exit 101.

John was previously sales manager for Visit Tucson Sports, and served in a similar capacity with the Greater Columbus Sports Commission. Over the past 20 years he has worked on events with organizations such as the American Junior Golf Association, Major League Soccer, Ohio High School Athletic Association, NCAA, the United States Olympic Committee and numerous youth sports organizations.

“An event needs to be beneficial not only for the client, but to the community as a whole,” says John in a statement. “The real key to sports marketing success is to remember the competition is only a portion of the event. It is the experience and the memories we help create for the players and their families that will last.”