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Maryland Tourism Development Board

​​​​​​​​​​The Board's mission is to guide activities to develop and market the state as a destination. Created in 1993, the Board includes hospitality industry executives from attraction, retail, food service, transportation and lodging sectors. Board members are appointed by the Governor.

Chair

Ben Seidel photoBen Seidel, Founder, President and CEO of Maryland based
Real Hospitality Group, (RHG) the industry’s 12th largest operator of hotels in the US has over 40 years of experience in both the hotel and convention center field. Today, his company, founded in 2010 manages over 100 hotels, taking an ownership stake in several, operating in 19 states and China serving as an approved or preferred hotel operator for Marriott International, Hyatt Corporation, Hilton Worldwide, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Singapore based Far East Hospitality and Aspect Hotels, also headquartered in Singapore.

Members

      • Dave Ferraro, Executive Director, Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park - Vice Chair/Attractions
      • Juan Carlos Linares, General Manager, Federal Realty Investment Trust - Vice Chair/Retail
      • Al Spence, President/CEO, A.S. Midway Tours - Vice Chair/Transportation

      • Robert Arthur, General Manager, The Ivy Hotel
      • Todd Burbage, CEO, Blue Water
      • Ashley Chenault, Chief of Tourism, Charles County Recreation Parks & Tourism 
      • Tonya Fitzpatrick, Esq. CEO, World Footprints
      • Andy Frank, Principal, Cap Ex Advisory
      • Wayne Hartman, Maryland House of Delegates, District 38C
      • Melonie Johnson, President & COO, MGM National Harbor
      • Nancy J. King, Maryland State Senator, District 39
      • Gerardo Martinez, CEO, Wild Kid Acres, LLC
      • James N. Mathias, Jr., Director of Government Relations for University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES)
      • Johnny Mautz, Maryland State Senator, District 37
      • LeVern McElveen, McCloud Transportation and Associates
      • Chris Riehl, President, Rent-A-Tour
      • Shelonda Stokes, President & CEO, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore
      • Sandy Maruchi-Turner, Manager of Cecil County Tourism
      • Cassandra M. Vanhooser, Director, Economic Development and Tourism, Talbot County
      • Melissa Wells, Maryland House of Delegates, District 40


      Contacts

      Marci Ross, Acting Managing Director
      Lisa Hansen Terhune, Destination Development Manager
      Office of Tourism and Film
      Maryland Department of Commerce
      401 E. Pratt Street
      Baltimore, MD 21202​

      Meetings

      • Friday, June 13, 2025
      Location TBD

      Click here for past meetings, agenda, minutes
      Click here for more info about the Maryland Tourism Development Board

      Meeting Minutes: