St. Louis—Explore St. Louis announced the appointment of Ed Skapinok as chief commercial officer of the destination marketing organization and operator of America’s Center Convention Complex, effective July 29, 2024.
With robust experience in hotel industry sales, marketing, and revenue management, Skapinok will take a newly created position combining Explore St. Louis’ consumer-facing functions for a unified and comprehensive approach to selling St. Louis to the world.
“After conducting an extensive national search, we’re excited to welcome Ed to our team, where he can apply the commercial strategies he’s refined at leading hotels to selling St. Louis,” says Kitty Ratcliffe, president of Explore St. Louis.
“I’ve loved working in the hospitality industry and building successful organizations and brands. The opportunity to bring that knowledge and experience to a destination like St. Louis is something I just couldn’t pass up,” says Skapinok. “No other destination has the same combination of iconic sites, cultural activities, professional sports, and amazing food scene.”
Skapinok earned his undergraduate degree at California State University Long Beach and his MBA from the University of California Davis. He has served in senior marketing and sales leadership roles with Intercontinental Hotels Group, Hostmark Hospitality Group, Aqua-Aston Hospitality, and most recently with culinary-forward hotel startup Appellation.
In addition, Skapinok was named one of the “Top 25 Minds in Hospitality” by Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and is a regular contributor to hospitality industry periodicals and thought leadership.
