The Guam Visitors Bureau board of directors had some important decisions to make Thursday, with discussions on the leadership transition, the appointment of an interim executive director, the need to recruit a general director and the tourism recovery plan.

The board got straight to work, discussing the election of a 12th board member, who the board had previously agreed should be a woman and would not would only serve until the election of the new board of directors on January 7, 2025.

Although a decision would not be made until the Dec. 5 board meeting, Marie Guerrero and Jovyna Lujan were appointed before the board met in executive session.

Guerrero is the first vice president of the Guam Hotel and Restaurant Association and the general manager of B&G Pacific dba Three Squares Restaurant.

Lujan is president of the Guam Travel & Tourism Association and director of merchandise for DKSH Guam.

Fresh from executive session, the board discussed the need to begin recruiting for a president and CEO for GVB, a position left vacant by former Gov. Carl Gutierrez, who suddenly resigned last week .

“So we need leadership action regarding leadership change,” President George Chiu said.

Director Robert Hofmann, mayor of Sinajana, suggested the formation of a search committee, to which the board agreed.

“I propose that we create a search committee for the position of GVB president, consisting of one member from each of the groups represented at the table, which will include one appointee of the governor, one appointee of the legislature and members ” said Hofmann.

Even if Chiu wanted to fill the positions, director Jeff Jones cautioned that the composition of the committee could present challenges.

“Be careful, because it is difficult to form a search committee and have meetings, all open meetings, because we have all board members, they will have to be public (noted) meetings,” Jones said.

Chiu said he intends to discuss the search committee further with legal counsel.

In order to save time, the board of directors approved the launch of the tender process for the recruitment of a president and a general manager.

“So there is a motion to basically start a request for proposals process. This is just a framework that will be used by the search committee or for this that can be developed now. This is part of the agenda,” Chiu said.

The motion, presented by Vice President Joaquin Cook to initiate the request for proposals process for the recruitment of a new president and CEO to fall under the jurisdiction of the search committee, was adopted.

Meanwhile, GVB’s management is under the leadership of Gerry Perez, a travel retail executive who joined GVB after retiring as president of DFS in 2003 after 23 years, according to GVB.

Once the recruitment motion was adopted, the board of directors focused on GVB’s tourism recovery plan, which we continue to work on, and on the recent air mission that the GVB delegation carried out in South Korea. South to increase seat capacity through airline incentives.

The delegation returned with a memorandum of understanding with Shinhan Card, as well as a commitment from Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero to add $5.5 million in additional funding for airline incentives.