FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WILMINGTON, DE – The Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau has announced three new directors have joined its board. Jeffrey Buhrman, economic development director for New Castle County Government; Craig Gorris, senior general manager of the Christiana Mall; and Mandy Santiago, executive director of the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science are the appointees.
The Bureau, a 501(c)6 founded in 1978, is the destination marketing organization for New Castle County. It promotes the region as a destination for leisure travel, meetings and conferences.
Bill Sullivan, chairman of the Bureau’s board of directors, said, “We’re thrilled to welcome these accomplished leaders to our board. With expertise spanning economic development, retail, and museum management, they bring valuable perspective that will help advance the continued growth of tourism in New Castle County.”
Buhrman spent the last 15 years at Bloomberg, L.P. in New York, New York, working across a variety of roles. He worked heavily with some of Bloomberg’s largest clients in the financial sector and offered extensive support for Bloomberg’s first-generation mentorship program. Most recently, Buhrman worked on technological infrastructure as well as application design and implementation. Buhrman holds a Bachelor of Science in finance from the University of Delaware and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business. He is a New Castle County native and a graduate of St. Mark’s High School.
Jeff Buhram Craig Gorris Mandy Santiago
Gorris has 25-plus years of property management experience working in the regional mall and office sectors. He has worked throughout the country including Glendale, California; Portland, Maine; Providence, Rhode Island; St Louis, Missouri; and San Jose, California. Gorris has held prominent roles in tourism destination marketing organizations in the past. He was previously board chairman of Visit Portland and vice chairman of the Greater Downtown Glendale Association’s board of directors as well as a previous Member of the Year for both Visit Portland and the Greater South Portland / Cape Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce. Gorris has a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University and has earned the CRX (Certified Retail Property Executive) designation from the International Council of Shopping Centers.
Prior to joining the museum, Santiago was the executive director of Tyler Arboretum. She also founded Red to Green Fundraising Team, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in grant research and writing services for southeastern Pennsylvania nonprofits. Santiago has led numerous multi-million-dollar annual giving, capital and membership campaigns for higher education, nonprofits and healthcare systems. She has served on various boards including PA Gardens and Visit Delco PA. Santiago holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Skidmore College, a master’s degree in social service from Bryn Mawr College, a master’s degree in forensic medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and a certificate in Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management from Harvard Business School. She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive.
The Bureau has 27 total board seats. Seven are appointed by the Governor of Delaware, seven are appointed by the New Castle County Executive, and seven are appointed by the Mayor of Wilmington. The remaining six are appointed by the board itself. Buhrman was appointed by the County Executive. Gorris was appointed by the Governor. Santiago was appointed by the Mayor of Wilmington.
The Bureau is a non-profit organization founded by the Governor of Delaware, the New Castle County Executive and the Mayor of Wilmington. Its mission is to stimulate economic growth for New Castle County and elevate Greater Wilmington as a tourism destination by attracting visitors for leisure travel, events and conferences.
High resolution photos can be downloaded here.
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Contact
Jennifer Boes
302.-245-6644, jenboes@visitwilmingtonde.com
