Jeff Miller is the president and CEO of Travel Portland, the state’s largest destination marketing organization. As CEO, Miller directs Travel Portland’s efforts to boost the region’s economy by positioning the area as a preferred destination for meetings, conventions and leisure travel. He oversees a staff of 50 full-time employees and an annual budget of nearly $9 million.
Prior to joining Travel Portland, Miller was the general manager of the Metropolitan Exposition Recreation Commission (MERC), a regional agency responsible for managing several of the area’s largest public venues, including the Oregon Convention Center, the Portland Center for the Performing Arts and the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center.
During his tenure at MERC, Miller strengthened public-private partnerships, emphasized strategic planning, and promoted community development. His accomplishments include negotiating innovative performance-driven marketing agreements, leading a public-private effort to develop a Portland convention center hotel, and implementing a progressive enterprise event and business management information system to enhance the agency’s financial, sales and operational effectiveness.
Miller’s financial acumen was honed during his 20-year career as a retail executive, including 13 years as general manager of Saks Fifth Avenue in Portland. Under Miller’s leadership, Saks significantly expanded its retail presence in Portland and increased sales by 83 percent.
Miller’s current community involvement includes work with the Portland Business Alliance and a seat on the Advisory Board for the Cascade AIDS Project. He holds a bachelor in arts degree from King College in Bristol, Tenn., and has earned certificates in advanced leadership training from the Center for Creative Leadership.
Travel Portland is a nonprofit independent association whose mission is to strengthen the region’s economy by marketing the metropolitan Portland area as a preferred destination for meetings, conventions and leisure travel.
March 1, 2010
From Art Galleries to Chicken and Rice, International Tourism Boosts Local Industry
What a destination! Over the past 3 years that I have worked with Travel Portland, I never cease to be amazed by this city’s pride and commitment to the high quality tourist experience for domestic and international visitors. The success of the tourism industry is largely dependent on the success of the city’s transportation systems. Portland is fortunate to have multiple access points from train and bus to light rail, and, of course, the airport. Read more »