CALGARY — Tourism Calgary’s CEO Cindy Ady has announced her retirement after a 10-year tenure. Ady’s last day as CEO will be December 31, 2023, but she will stay on as interim CEO to work closely with the Board of Directors and Tourism Calgary’s executive team to ensure a seamless handover to the new leadership. Tourism Calgary has engaged executive search firm Pekarsky & Co. to assist in the selection process.
The organization underwent significant positive changes under Ady’s leadership, expanding its focus from marketing to long-term industry development and growing its contribution to the local economy from $1.6 billion to nearly $3.1 billion in 2023.
Ady’s achievements include effectively navigating a once-in-a-century flood and a global pandemic; growing the organization’s membership by nearly 60 per cent to more than 1,000 local business partners; creating a new long-term funding agreement with the Calgary Hotel Association; integrating the attraction of meetings and conventions back under Tourism Calgary’s mandate; and working with The City of Calgary to create a Special Events fund.
Tourism Calgary and its new CEO will embark on a different 10-year strategy with an array of new projects to leverage such as the BMO Convention Centre expansion; the new Event Centre and Calgary’s Culture + Entertainment district; the re-development of Arts Commons and Glenbow Museum; and the development of Calgary’s winter festival, Chinook Blast.
“From the moment she stepped into the role as CEO, Cindy’s leadership was defined by relentless energy, innovation and creativity, and our organization, the City of Calgary and millions of visitors have benefited from her vision and dedication,” says Mark Wilson, Chair of the Board of Directors at Tourism Calgary. “We’re grateful for her leadership and wish her the best in the next phase of her life.”
“I’m proud of the work we’ve done, the goals we’ve achieved and the strategic vision we’ve set for the years ahead, which we believe will be Calgary’s brightest ever,” says Ady. “I’m grateful to our Tourism Calgary team and our partners at the three levels of government, all of whom have pulled together to help create the city Calgary has become. I’m thrilled to watch a new Calgary emerge in the future under new leadership.”
