Because they want to better leverage the "strengths, resources and expertise" of both organizations, the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and Positively Cleveland, the city's convention and visitors bureau, have established what they're calling a "coordinated alliance" whereby they'll continue to operate separately, but under the direction of a single CEO, they announced last week.
That CEO, Sports Commission CEO David Gilbert, will take office effective Jan. 1, 2011. Meanwhile, Dennis Roche, president of Positively Cleveland since 2003, will remain in his position through 2010 and transition into a consulting role through 2011.
Although each organization will remain independent — pursuing its own individual mission with separate finances and boards of directors — they will share administrative staff and office space, as well as a combined board committee that will manage issues of mutual interest.
"This is a particularly exciting and important time for our community, with nearly $1 billion in infrastructure investment taking shape during the next four years," said Positively Cleveland Board Chair Kurt Treu. "We need to ensure that we're putting our best foot forward to tell Northeast Ohio's story far and wide to attract visitors, conventions and meetings."
Added Sports Commission Board Chair Fred DiSanto, "Our two organizations share similar goals, but we have worked to achieve them in different ways. By establishing a single executive leader, we can foster synergistic and joint staff relationships and develop operating philosophies based on entrepreneurial spirit and community engagement. At the same time, maintaining separate staffs will allow us to retain individuals with a strong interest in each group's mission and the expertise to meet or exceed goals."