Explore St. Louis fills new executive post ahead of president’s exit [Video]

ST. LOUIS — Explore St. Louis, the region’s tourism and convention agency, has filled a newly created executive role as it launches a search for its next president.

The organization said Wednesday it has hired Ed Skapinok as chief commercial officer, effective July 29. He most recently has been CCO of Appellation, a culinary-focused hotel startup based in Healdsburg, California, and will be relocating to St. Louis, according to a press release.

Explore operates the downtown America’s Center convention complex and connected Dome as well as marketing the region for convention and tourism business. It gets funding from 11-15ths of a 3.75% hotel tax in the city of St. Louis and St. Louis County.

Explore described its new CCO job as “a new and innovative position guiding sales, marketing and revenue management,” according to the release. The new role combines Explore’s “consumer-facing functions” to bring …