Leadership:
  Sal Dickinson
  

Sal Dickinson, CHME, founded Dickinson & Associates in 2001 and serves as the firm’s chief executive and strategist. An unabashed travel & tourism marketing veteran, Sal laid the groundwork for his “clients’ perspective” from 1994-2001 as the VP Marketing for MeriStar Hotels & Resorts (including South Seas Resorts prior to its acquisition by MeriStar).

This tenure offered Sal the opportunity to significantly grow revenues and brands for both companies; to build and develop revenue directed teams of marketing and sales professionals, and to put in place metrics to truly determine each initiative’s ROI (return of investment). It also afforded a chance to test new strategies and ventures such as custom publishing and the Web/e-commerce world, where success was ultimately measured in millions of dollars of new customer revenues.

Sal’s “agency perspective” was honed with the largest travel industry specialist in the country. In the decade prior to ’94, he worked his way up the ranks of Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown, ultimately to group vice president, leading account management teams on behalf of clients such as the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau, Premier Cruise Lines (The Big Red Boat), Hilton International and many independent commercial properties and resorts.

Prior to these professional achievements, he learned direct sales in the office automation field, as well as production and promotions in the entertainment business, producing concerts for such well known stars as Genesis, Stevie Ray Vaughan and other prominent rock and R&B bands of the 70’s and ‘80’s.

Sal is immediate past chair of the Americas of HSMAI (Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International), a past chair of its Foundation, and is adjunct faculty at Florida Gulf Coast University’s College of Business.

“I like to say I’ve looked at love [marketing] from both sides, and understand better than most not just the pressures that exist for both client and agency, but the type of relationships that yield success for both.”

Sal leads the D&A team from our Fort Myers, Florida office and can be reached at:
239 334 4488 x10 or by e-mail at sal.dickinson@dickinsonassoc.com