Richard Scharf
President & CEO | VISIT DENVER
For more than a quarter century, Richard W. Scharf Jr. has been instrumental in growing all aspects of convention and tourism business in Denver. He has been President & CEO of VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau, since March 2004, managing a staff of 64 associates, which includes regional offices in Chicago and Washington D.C. With 1,200 private business members and an annual budget of $47 million, VISIT DENVER is a nonprofit association responsible for marketing Denver as a convention and leisure destination. Under Scharf’s leadership, Denver has set new tourism records for the last 18 years with the exception of 2020 and 2021. In 2022, Denver welcomed a record 36.3 million visitors, marking a 15% increase over 2021 and surpassing all historic tourism totals by a large margin. A record number of visitors also spent more money in Denver than ever before, generating $9.4 billion in tourism revenue, far beyond the previous record of $7 billion spent in 2019.
Scharf is responsible for greatly enhancing VISIT DENVER’s marketing resources, leading a public vote campaign in 2005 that successfully increased the organization’s marketing dollars. Voters approved the measure by a margin of two to one, resulting in a marketing budget increase for VISIT DENVER of nearly 50 percent. In 2017, he worked with the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association to create a new Tourism Improvement District, which generated tax revenues that funded a second, $233-million expansion of the Colorado Convention Center and provides incremental marketing dollars. He has also been involved in adding tourism and convention infrastructure, serving as a chief consultant on the 2004 expansion of the Colorado Convention Center and playing a major role in the development of Denver’s adjacent 1,100-room Hyatt Regency Convention Center Hotel. In 2015, Scharf worked closely with the National Western Association, to lead a successful public vote campaign to completely redevelop the National Western complex and provide funding for the Colorado Convention Center expansion. In addition, Scharf has consistently provided expertise and support for Denver International Airport’s air service development efforts.
A graduate of Purdue University, Scharf began his career at Hilton Hotels in Chicago. From 1988-1993, he owned a publishing and consulting company representing more than 400 colleges and universities as conference and meeting sites. He joined VISIT DENVER in 1993 and led the sales and marketing team as executive vice president until 2004, before taking on the role of president.
In 1999, Scharf was the second person to be inducted into the Colorado Hotel Sales & Marketing Association’s Hall of Fame. He has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the 2000 Executive Excellence Award from the Association of Convention Operations and Management; the 2002 Governor’s Tourism Award; the Rocky Mountain News’ Business Person of the Year in 2007; the 2007 Leadership Award from the Meetings Industry Council of Colorado; an honorary degree for Doctor of Business Administration in Travel-Tourism-Hospitality Management from Johnson & Wales University in 2009; the 2021 Chairman’s Award from the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association; and the 2022 Chairman’s Award from the Colorado Tourism Office.
Scharf is an active member in numerous travel industry associations and community organizations, locally and nationally.
