Photograph by The Fotos for Adobe Stock
The Commerce Department abruptly fired five of the 11 members of the Brand USA board last week, including its chair, Destination DC president and CEO Elliott Ferguson, according to Northstar Meetings Group's sister publication, Travel Weekly.
Brand USA is the destination marketing organization for the United States, funded and operated by government and private sector entities.
An email viewed by Travel Weekly indicated the board member positions were terminated effective immediately on behalf of Howard Lutnick, the secretary of Commerce.
A Commerce Department spokesperson said in a Monday statement, "Pursuant to the Brand USA bylaws, the service of five members of the board of directors has ended. The Department of Commerce thanks them for their service and looks forward to bringing the best and brightest leaders to the Brand USA board to grow travel and tourism across the United States."
Part of the government shakeup
A spokesperson for Destination DC confirmed Monday that Ferguson is no longer Brand USA's board chair, just months into a one-year term that began in December. Allen Orr Jr., who up until last week was Brand USA's board secretary, confirmed that he was removed on Friday. Orr is the founder of Orr Immigration, a law firm in Washington, D.C.
According to sources, two other board members who were removed also held officer titles. One was the Brand USA board's vice chair, Lauren Bailey, who is CEO and co-founder of Upward Projects, a restaurant development and hospitality company. The other was the board's treasurer, Kristen Esposito, a principal at tourism marketing consultancy Esposito Global Partners.
Read more on the Travel Weekly website.