Interim president takes over at Woodfield convention bureau

Dave Parulo has been tapped as president of the Woodfield Chicago Northwest Convention Bureau.

Parulo has been filling the top post for the past half year as interim laying the groundwork for several new initiatives at the organization.

“It’s very exciting. We’ve done a lot of positive things in the last six months,” Parulo said.

A new business model is the biggest change that is underway. Parulo explained that the bureau has altered how it operates. It now promotes tourism for all businesses in eight Northwest suburban towns, not just those that are members.

The move is designed for more marketing opportunities for businesses in the bureau’s partner communities of Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Itasca, Rolling Meadows, Roselle, Schaumburg, Streamwood and Wood Dale.

In taking over as president, Parulo says the biggest challenge he will face is funding. The bureau is funded though state and local tourism grants and by the local communities it represents through a portion of their hotel and motel taxes.

The uncertainty of the state funding makes running the organization difficult. “It’s a challenging position,” said Parulo, who has been with the Woodfield bureau for a little more than four years.

In looking ahead to the upcoming year, the new business plan will be the key focus. “My main goal is to effectively roll out the new business model and increase the group booking experience here,” Parulo said.

He explained that tourism is important to this area. “I need to be very proactive in looking four group bookings and working with different markets,” he said.

“Tourism is big business,” he said, adding that the bureau represents 62 hotels and more than 500 restaurants.

He added that in the past 12 months, travelers paid $5.6 million in local hotel taxes and contributed $342.5 million to the local economy.

“Hospitality is huge here. It brings in dollars that help the local economy. It augments the general funds,” he said.