VISIT PHILADELPHIA President and CEO Jeff Guaracino Passes Away
January 6, 2022
On Dec. 28, Jeff Guaracino, president and CEO of VISIT PHILADELPHIA, passed away after a battle with cancer. He was 48 years old.
A Philadelphia native and passionate tourism leader, Guaracino served two stints at VISIT PHILADELPHIA, first as director of communications and vice president of communications from 2001 to 2012, and then as president and CEO in 2018.
According to VISIT PHILADELPHIA officials, under Guaracino’s leadership, VISIT PHILADELPHIA continued driving leisure tourism throughout the pandemic with omni-channel marketing efforts. These included Philly Live Weekends, a collaboration with NBC Philadelphia; Love + Grit, a Philly podcast focused on telling authentic and diverse Philadelphia stories; a black- and brown-owned business initiative that culminated in City Council declaring each Friday in December “Shop Black Business Friday;” and marketing campaigns ranging from Our Turn to Tourist, which drove regional spending at the height of the lockdown, to Pack Light. Plan Big. For Philly., which promoted visitation as the city and region reopened.
“Jeff was a beloved family member, partner and friend, as well as a passionate leader, avid traveler, celebrated author, teacher, mentor and role model,” said Manny Stamatakis, chairman of the board of VISIT PHILADELPHIA, in a statement. “His fun spirit and strong sense of self were with him until the end.”
Guaracino began his marketing career at KYW-TV and CBS Radio and then worked as director of communications for The Franklin Institute.
Before taking the helm of Philly’s official tourism marketing agency, he served as CEO of Wawa Welcome America, a nonprofit organization that produces Philly’s Juneteenth and Fourth of July festivals, and prior to that, as executive director of the Atlantic City Alliance.
Boasting a 20-year track record of success in tourism and organizational management, Guaracino sat on the board of directors for a host of leading national and local organizations, including the U.S. Travel Association; Global Philadelphia Association; Independence Visitor Center Corporation; Philadelphia International Airport; Welcome America, Inc.; Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce; Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau; Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld Fund; and Temple University STHM Board of Visitors.
In 2020, he was named vice chair of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia’s Regional Tourism, Arts and Cultural Recovery committee.
A leader in the LGBTQ community, Guaracino somehow found time in his busy schedule to author two books about gay and lesbian travel marketing: 2007’s Gay and Lesbian Tourism: The Essential Guide to Marketing and 2017’s Handbook of LGBT Tourism and Hospitality: A Guide for Business Practice.
Additionally, he penned a travel column for the Philadelphia Gay News and helped found the Philadelphia chapter of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association.
“The VISIT PHILADELPHIA team is committed to carrying on the work that meant so much to Jeff—promoting the Philadelphia region as a must-visit travel destination,” Stamatakis added.
An interim successor has not yet been named.
Don’t miss any event-related news: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter HERE and engage with us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn!
Partner Voices
HERE, hosting responsible meetings and caring for our communities are top priorities. Through its 'Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity and Protecting the Planet' philosophy, MGM Resorts commits to creating a more sustainable future, while striving to make an impact in the lives of employees, guests, and the communities in which it operates.
Water Stewardship Efforts
MGM Resorts understands the importance of using water efficiently, especially in the desert destination of Las Vegas. Conserving water has always been part of the mission, but MGM Resorts has expanded its ambition into water stewardship.
In 2022, MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle signed the CEO Water Mandate—a UN Global Compact initiative mobilizing business leaders to advance water stewardship. MGM Resorts International was the first gaming company to take this important step.
MGM Resorts replaced 200,000 square feet of real grass with drought-tolerant landscaping in Las Vegas.
MGM Resorts pledges to reduce water withdrawal intensity by 33% by 2025 and by 35% by 2030.
From 2007-2021, use of more than 5.6 billion gallons of water was avoided because of conservation efforts.
Caring for One Another
MGM Resorts’ Food Donations Program collects and preserves unserved food from conventions held at MGM Resorts properties, then safely donates to food insecure people in the community. Since the program’s launch in 2016, more than 3.7 million meals toward a 2025 goal of 5 million meals have been donated into the community. Donations include:
Unserved perishable prepared foods from events
Perishable unprepared food from MGM Resorts’ kitchens
Nonperishable food items from minibars and warehouses
The collaboration with Southern Nevada’s primary food bank, Three Square, has developed the infrastructure needed to safely collect, transport, and store food from MGM Resorts properties in Las Vegas, reducing food waste while serving the community.
Fostering Diversity and Inclusion
To MGM Resorts, a diverse and talented workforce is essential to success. By cultivating innovative strategies that consider multiple perspectives and viewpoints, the company creates an inclusive workplace culture that benefits its employees and community. MGM Resorts takes pride in being a welcoming home for veterans, individuals with disabilities, people from diverse backgrounds, LGBTQ+ community members, and more. This commitment to inclusion is reflected in the company's recruitment and hiring practices and its social responsibility initiatives. From the workplace to the community, MGM Resorts' commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion remains unwavering, and its efforts continue to create a more equitable and sustainable world for all.
MGM Resorts understands its responsibility to contribute to the social and economic progress of the communities in which it operates. HERE, we embrace humanity.
Add new comment