Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) congratulates Deb Archer on 20 years of service as the president and CEO of the GMCVB.
Archer was recruited to the GMCVB as the vice president of convention sales in 1994. In 1995, she took the reins as president and CEO. During Archer’s tenure in Madison, the GMCVB secured IRONMAN Wisconsin, ESPN Great Outdoor Games, National Kidney Foundation’s U.S. Transplant Games, US Conference of Mayors, World Stem Cell Summit, along with hundreds of other prestigious events. She also was integral in the creation of the Madison Area Sports Commission. During her time at the GMCVB, she has earned several awards, including Downtown Madison Inc.’s Community Asset Award in 2013 for securing the WIAA tournaments for Madison.
“The GMCVB has grown tremendously under Deb’s leadership. She and I have worked closely over the past two decades, and I congratulate her on this milestone anniversary. I look forward to continuing to work well with her and her organizations,” said City of Madison Mayor Paul Soglin.
“The city has changed dramatically since I began with the GMCVB more than two decades ago. From the building and opening of Monona Terrace, the Kohl Center and the Overture Center, to all the new construction in our region, it has been an exciting time. It is an honor to serve the community throughout all of these milestones. I look forward to what new developments the future may hold,” said Deb Archer.
Prior to her arrival in Madison, Archer had already begun to make her mark in the tourism industry. Archer had served as associate director of sales at the Kansas City CVB for seven years and executive director of the Park City Utah Convention & Visitors Bureau and Chamber of Commerce. While in Park City, she served on the founding board of the Park City/Sundance Film Festival.
Archer is a Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME). She is a past chair and continues to serve on the Governor’s Council on Tourism and the WI Association of Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors. She has served as Past Chair of the CVB’s international trade association’s Foundation and on their Board of Directors.
She holds a B.A. from Michigan State University in Hotel, Restaurant & Institutional Management with an emphasis in tourism.
The GMCVB is honored to play a key role in supporting the more than 20,000 Dane County jobs supported by tourism. Promoting tourism in Madison since 1972, the GMCVB continues to work strategically to expand upon the more than $1.9 billion dollars in total business sales visitors generate for Dane Country every year. For the most up-to-date information, visit our website at visitmadison.com.
