President & CEO - Travel Salem

Angie Onyewuchi has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Travel Salem since February 2007 after a nationwide search. Angie’s innovative spirit coupled with her executive management and strategic communications background, as well as her knowledge and ties to Salem were vital to the identification, development and implementation of new funding steams for the organization.

During Angie’s tenure, Travel Salem’s budget has grown 468% ($440,000 to $2.5 million, pre-Covid) resulting in heightened brand awareness for Salem and expanded strategies that have positively impacted the region’s major metrics including 192% growth in industry jobs (2,530-7,400), 36% growth in tourism estimated economic impact ($468 million to $638 million), and 60% growth in Salem’s Transient Occupancy Tax ($2.5 million to $4 million, pre-Covid).

Angie’s noteworthy ability to form valuable “win-win” partnerships has resulted in a designated 25% of TOT funds to the City’s destination marketing services contractor; the creation of the Salem Tourism Promotion Area to leverage the 25% designation; and the Oregon Wine Country Plate legislation which has generated $585,378 in funding that Travel Salem oversees for culinary promotions within the region.

Before joining Travel Salem, Angie was the Executive Director for Pentacle Theatre, one of the oldest and most respected community theaters in Oregon. She was responsible for all management and marketing including, strategic planning, budgeting, fundraising, public relations, education and outreach, personnel and Board relations. She also led the organization’s successful $1 million capital campaign.

Angie is past Chair and currently serves as Treasurer on the board of the Oregon Destination Association. Angie is currently appointed to Destinations International’s Advocacy Committee and Small Destination Organization Task Force Committee. She served on the Marion County Economic Development Advisory Board (2007-2018) and is past chair.

President & CEO - Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association

Jason Brandt’s expertise revolves around association management and government affairs work at the state and local levels. His vision for the hospitality industry is to develop strategies and drive outcomes that save as many restaurants and lodging establishments as possible in Oregon as the industry continues to reel from the impacts of the pandemic.

Prior to joining Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association as President & CEO in 2015, Jason served as the CEO of the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce. Jason earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Communication from Pacific Lutheran University. He received a post-graduate certification in Nonprofit Organizational Management from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute Program.

Brandt’s role as the leader of Oregon’s hospitality industry includes service on numerous boards including the Council of State Restaurant Associations with state colleagues around the country, Travel Portland, Oregon Council on Problem Gambling, and Oregon Business & Industry.