Visit Duluth names Anna Tanski as President & CEO

When Visit Duluth’s new leader starts her job on February 20, she’ll have had a 23-year head start in selling Duluth around the world as a convention and tourism destination. So it will be a smooth transition when Anna Tanski moves from the Visit Duluth Director of Sales position she’s held since 2005 to become its President and CEO.

Tanski, 45, succeeds Terry Mattson, who left Visit Duluth in December 2013 after 28 years with the organization.  Since then, Visit Duluth board member and former Grandma’s Marathon Executive Director Scott Keenan has served as Visit Duluth’s Interim Director.

“The Visit Duluth board sought to hire the best person available to continue building on Duluth’s tourism momentum, and there were many outstanding candidates who applied,” said Board Chair Gerry Goldfarb of the 29 applications that came in from a national search. “But despite the excellent qualifications of our applicants, the experience and proven success of Anna rose to the top.”   

Prior to joining Visit Duluth nine years ago, Tanski had been Director of Sales at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center for 14 years.

“I’m humbled to have been chosen as Visit Duluth’s new President and CEO,” said Tanski, who will lead a staff of 11 people. “There’s a great team already in place here, Duluth is well positioned for further tourism growth and I’m looking forward to getting started.”

A native of Superior, Wisconsin, Tanski graduated from UW-Superior with a degree in Communication and English. She and her husband, Jason, reside in Hermantown with their two children.