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Harris County – Houston Sports Authority’s Janis Burke to Serve as Immediate Past Chair of Sports ETA

Jun 29, 2021

Houston, TX (June 29, 2021) – Sports ETA announced new board leadership as elected at the Annual General Membership Meeting this week. After being elected Chair in 2019, and serving again in 2020 due to COVID-19 Janis Burke, STS, of Harris County – Houston Sports Authority (“HCHSA”) will now serve as Immediate Past Chair.

Burke has served as CEO of the HCHSA for the past 15 years. Under her board leadership, Sports ETA unveiled the landmark study “2019 State of the Sports Tourism Industry Report in America presented by the Sports Events and Tourism Association in partnership with the Northstar Meetings Group.” The report concluded that U.S. sports travelers, event organizers and venues spent a total of $45.1 billion in 2019, an increase of over five percent from the previous year, generating $103.3 billion in direct, indirect and induced business sales.

“It has been an honor to serve our industry in a leadership role and to now provide continuity on the Executive Committee as the Immediate Past Chair of Sports ETA”, said Janis Burke, CEO of the HCHSA. “I am very proud of all that our national association has been able to accomplish during my tenure on the Board of Directors, but especially pleased to see the achievements and successes made during the past year when the pandemic wreaked havoc on the entire, global tourism industry.”

Additional members were elected to the Board of Sports ETA and they include:

  • Chair Michael Price, STS, CTA Executive Director, Greater Lansing Sports Authority

  • Vice Chair Don Dukemineer, STS, CHSP, Director of Sports Development of Decatur

    Morgan County Tourism

  • Secretary Frank Lett, STS, Senior Associate Executive Director of Visit Kingsport

  • Treasurer Ray Palmer, STS, President/CEO of Pensacola Sports

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    About Sports ETA

    As the only trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, Sports ETA is the most trusted resource for sports commissions, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), and sports event owners. Sports ETA is committed to the success of more than 560 member organizations and 2,400 sports event professionals. We promise to deliver quality education, ample networking opportunities and exceptional event management and marketing know-how to our members – sports destinations, sports event owners, and suppliers to the industry – and to protect the integrity of the sports events and tourism industry. For more information, visit SportsETA.org.

 

About Harris County – Houston Sports Authority

The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority maintains the facilities and services the debt of the world- class, professional sports venues it was created to build. To support this primary mission, Houston Sports serves as a leading proponent for attracting sporting events to Houston and for promoting the city as a home for sports-related activities, to ultimately enhance Houston’s economic development and bring better quality of life for its residents. Houston Sports also created the annual Houston Sports Awards to honor the area’s outstanding athletes.