Experience Columbia SC names Rick Lackland Vice President of the CVB

Experience Columbia SC has appointed Columbia native Rick Lackland as vice president of the Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), bringing decades of hospitality sales, destination marketing and leadership experience to the organization.

In his new role, Lackland will lead the organization’s convention sales efforts, working closely with local governments, hospitality partners and community stakeholders to attract meetings, conventions, and events that generate economic impact throughout the Columbia region.

Lackland’s hospitality career spans more than three decades, beginning with Hilton Hotels, where he started as a sales manager with Hampton Inn and advanced through national and global sales leadership roles. Throughout his career, he has consistently exceeded revenue goals while building and leading high-performing sales teams and cultivating relationships with corporate clients around the world.

Most recently, Lackland served as director of sales and marketing at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Columbia, where he successfully increased revenue and room nights year after year while strengthening partnerships across the local hospitality community.

A Columbia native and graduate of the University of South Carolina, Lackland said the opportunity to lead the CVB represented a chance to combine his professional experience with his lifelong passion for his hometown.

“I wasn’t looking for a new position, but I was looking at this one,” Lackland said. “I’ve always had a close relationship with Experience Columbia SC, and throughout my career I’ve had the opportunity to travel with the team, participate in site visits and tell Columbia’s story. I realized this was the opportunity to use my experience, my relationships and my passion for this city to make a difference and help take Columbia to the next level.”

Experience Columbia SC President and CEO Bill Ellen said Lackland’s extensive hospitality background and deep ties to the community make him uniquely qualified to lead the organization’s convention sales efforts.

“The vice president of the Convention & Visitors Bureau plays a critical role in driving visitation and the economic impact that tourism brings to our region,” Ellen said. “Rick’s proven track record in hospitality sales, his longstanding relationships throughout the industry and his genuine passion for Columbia make him an exceptional leader to help strengthen our position as a premier destination for meetings, conventions and events.”

Lackland believes Columbia is well positioned for continued growth in the meetings and tourism industry thanks to significant investments throughout the region.

“It’s an exciting time for Columbia,” Lackland said. “The transformation of our downtown districts, the expansion of air service at Columbia Metropolitan Airport, our outstanding convention center, and an incredible restaurant scene have created a destination that’s increasingly attractive for meetings and events. Add to that the University of South Carolina, our status as the state capital and the investment from companies like Scout Motors and Amazon, and Columbia has tremendous momentum.”

He also believes collaboration will continue to be one of the destination’s greatest strengths.

“I’ve spent years building relationships with our hotel partners, chambers of commerce, industry associations and community organizations across the region,” Lackland said. “Those partnerships are essential to growing Columbia’s visitor economy, and I look forward to bringing people together to create even more opportunities for our destination.”

About Experience Columbia SC

Experience Columbia SC is the region’s destination marketing organization. We’re responsible for all marketing efforts intended to help more visitors discover all that makes Columbia the real Southern hot spot. Think of us as the biggest cheerleader for the heart of South Carolina. For more information, please visit www.experiencecolumbiasc.com.