(Scott Larson | Photo courtesy of Visit Central Oregon)
Scott Larson has fond memories of visiting his grandparents’ home in Sunriver two weeks a year when he was a child. “My grandparents bought the place as a gathering place for our family,” Larson, 34, said. “We would visit in the wintertime to ski at Mt. Bachelor where I learned to ski and have dozens of ribbons from the ski school, and in the summer to go bike riding and visit Lava Butte and the High Desert Museum.”
Larson was recently hired as the president and CEO for Visit Central Oregon, the regional destination management organization dedicated to managing tourism programs and driving economic development in Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook and South Wasco Counties.
He will begin his new job on July 15. He replaces Julia Theisen, who is now the tourism director in Snowmass, Colorado. “I have been in the travel marketing industry for more than a decade, which has allowed me to see many different sides of what an organization like Visit Central Oregon does,” Larson said. “So often I view organizations like Visit Central Oregon as community development organizations, created to serve the areas and communities we represent. Central Oregon is a remarkably beautiful place. I couldn’t be more excited to be leading the next chapter of this regional destination management organization, and to use travel and tourism promotion as an economic driver to support thriving businesses, communities and quality of life for all.”
For five years, Larson was the executive director of Wyoming’s Albany County Tourism Board, doing business as Visit Laramie. Larson also spent more than three years as the digital communications manager for Visit Steamboat Springs in Colorado, and more than three years as the operations supervisor for Steamboat Springs Ski & Resort Corp. Originally from Nashville, Tenn., Larson earned his bachelor’s degree in International Business from the University of Denver. “I am super excited to live and work in Central Oregon,” Larson said. “Central Oregon is a geographic place like no other. The diversity of the region allows you to build our own adventures of what you want to do today and then do something totally different the next day.”
Dr. Dana Whitelaw, chair of the Visit Central Oregon board and executive director of the High Desert Museum, shared Larson’s experience in destination management stood out among a strong pool of candidates. “His community engagement, leadership and understanding of the challenges and opportunities for tourism made him our top candidate,” Whitelaw said. “Moreover, Scott’s knowledge of rural and urban communities and the assets they bring to tourism is a key strength that he’ll bring to VCO. We’re very excited to welcome Scott to lead the exceptional team at VCO.”
Mackenzie Ballard is the vice president of marketing for Visit Central Oregon. She shared the team met with Larson and was impressed with his vision for driving a thriving tourism economy in Central Oregon. “His decades of experience in destinations facing similar challenges and opportunities as Central Oregon will give him a leg up,” Ballard said. “We are excited to see how his fresh perspective and innovative spirit elevates the organization and the region.”
Larson was interviewed while vacationing in Idaho with his family.
How did you learn about the job at Visit Central Oregon and what inspired you to apply? “I was contacted by a recruiter for the position. We are super thrilled and over the moon to be moving to Bend. The job and the region checked all the boxes for my personal and professional goals.”
What do you look forward to about your new job? “I am excited to be there, to listen, to learn and to jump in feet first. I am looking forward to bringing everyone to the table, so everyone is rowing in the same direction to leverage their strengths for a stronger tourism economy in Central Oregon.”
When you tell people you are moving to Central Oregon, what do you say? How do you describe it or inspire them to visit? “Everyone is excited for me and jealous I am moving to Central Oregon. It’s bittersweet to leave Laramie and the team I was working with, but I know they will all continue to great things. I tell everyone to come visit me and I look forward to sharing what I have learned about Central Oregon.”
Share a little about your family. “My wife Annalise and I have two dogs and two cats. Ollie is an Australian cattle dog and a great adventure buddy. Zuri is a mini-Aussie and a special needs pup who is deaf and needs wear goggles when she’s outside. She’s full of energy. Our large cat is Puffy who keeps everyone in line and Batman is the elder of the house. Annalise is a nurse practitioner who has served in various sides of medicine and really loves what she does. We are both outdoorsy and active people who have a long list of things we want to do once we move to Central Oregon. Annalise is a triathlete, and I like to ski and run ultramarathons. We are super excited to have all the outdoor activities right at our fingertips. Living in Central Oregon is like living in a giant playground.”
What led you to pursuing a career in working in destination management? “I care a lot about the communities where I get to work and play. When I was at Albany County Tourism, it was important that my team and I worked to promote the region but also protect it. There are amazing resources and amenities that are in high demand, much like here in Central Oregon. We worked to market toward the ideal travel who wanted to share what we had to offer in a sustainable way that people will be able to enjoy five, 10 and 20 years from now. I think it’s important to share the educational components of tourism.”
What are some lessons you learned as the executive director for Visit Laramie? “Albany County has diverse communities. I learned to listen with the intent of listening and not with the intent of responding, to sit down and hear what the problems and challenges are and finding ways to bridge the gaps. It’s well known that when you are in leadership role that not everyone is going to like you. That’s to be expected. I try to balance everything for the greatest benefit of the community and find a solution that is a win-win for the majority of people.
What are some of the things you want to do in Central Oregon? “I am excited to go to Mt. Bachelor for a ski day. When I was there for the interview, I went to Goody’s Ice Cream in Sunriver, which I have fond memories of from my childhood. I might try to do a race this summer and want to visit the High Desert Museum. I am excited to learn about the region and visit with people to learn how Visit Central Oregon can continue to support a strong tourism economy.”
How would you describe your management style? “I am the opposite of a micromanager. I hire people who are leaders and want to be part of a team. People who have values, motivation and discipline. I like to empower and coach people by giving them the tools they need to be good at what they do. I can’t be an expert in everything so that’s why it’s important to have a team with strong skillsets. I am an advocate for strength-based leadership to build a team where everyone is fulfilled with what they do every day.”
What challenges do you think you face? “Anytime you come in as the new person, you face inherent challenges such as learning about the new state and community. It takes time to learn about your team, the board and the stakeholders. None of those things are new to me. I feel like I am a fairly quick learner and know I will get up to speed quickly.”
What do you look forward to about leading the team at Visit Central Oregon? “I enjoy coaching and mentoring people. I place an emphasis on continuing to education. I have a really great team and looking forward to learning more about each of them and how we can collaborate to serve the communities we represent through tourism promotion.”
What’s the best piece of advice you received when taking a new job? “A good piece of advice was to remember to approach the job with humility. To remember not to approach the job as being the smartest person in the room, but as a person willing and eager to learn from others and that the board members, the team and the stakeholders have strengths I don’t have and it’s important to learn how to leverage those strengths for the betterment of the community.”
Any last thoughts? “I love the work that we do at Visit Central Oregon, and I feel incredibly fortunate to do it while working with team that cares about promoting and serving its communities. I feel incredibly fortunate to have been chosen for this job.”
