Saturday, November 21, 2015 
The Board of Directors of the San Diego Convention Center Corporation has appointed Joe Davis, an industry veteran and former employee of the San Diego Convention Center to serve as an interim general manager of the bayside facility. Davis will report to the Board and serve until a replacement has been hired for outgoing President and CEO, Carol Wallace. Wallace announced her retirement from the Corporation in October however she will continue to serve as a consultant to the Corporation through 2016.
“I’ve had the privilege of working with several of the key staff at SDCC and I’m proud to be associated with this world class team and operation. San Diego, my home town, is the finest destination anywhere in the world for hosting meetings, and I am excited about working with our industry stakeholders and clients,” Davis said. Davis worked for the Corporation previously as Assistant General Manager and Interim General Manager and has a deep understanding of the facility and the Corporation’s team. Previously, he served as the General Manager of the Hawaii Convention Center and General Manager of the Phoenix Convention Center.
“We are grateful to Joe for his willingness to serve during this time of transition for the Corporation and we plan on moving quickly to find a new leader who will continue to ensure the San Diego Convention Center remains a world-class meetings and convention destination well into the future,” said Board Chair Stephen P. Cushman.
Davis is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and holds a Masters degree in public policy from San Diego State University. He is a graduate of the Oglebay School of Public Assembly Facility Management, attended the Senior Executive Symposium at Cornell’s School of Hotel Management, and has a Certified Facilities Executive or CFE designation from the International Association of Venue Management.
The Corporation’s Board also announced the selection of SearchWide, a full service executive search firm with expertise in the convention, travel, tourism and hotel industries, to lead the search for the Corporation’s next president and CEO. The seven member board of directors sets policy for the Corporation and is charged with the responsibility of hiring the Corporation’s president and CEO. The search is expected to take approximately 3-6 months.
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