Terry Mattson
President & CEO, Visit Saint Paul and RiverCentre Authority
Terry Mattson is the President & CEO of Visit St. Paul and the RiverCentre Authority. He is recognized as a primary driver in Minnesota travel and tourism. Before arriving in St. Paul in search of new challenges, he worked for more than two decades, transforming Duluth’s brand from a rust belt city into a top destination. Visit Saint Paul’s mission is to generate economic growth for the capital city by effectively marketing the RiverCentre campus and the region as a destination. Ramsey County tourism accounts for nearly $3 billion in annual direct impact while employing more than 30,000 people.
He helped create the popular tall ships festivals as the visionary and executive producer, drawing crowds of 250,000 people from 50 states. Mattson was recognized as Minnesota’s Outstanding Individual in Tourism in 2012. He was also a recipient of Minnesota tourism’s lifetime achievement award. In addition, Mattson served on the Minnesota Governor’s Tourism Council and the Minnesota Tourism Growth Coalition and was part of the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee.