December 15, 2023 (Ventura, Calif.) — Visit Ventura was honored to receive the Innovation Award at this year’s Ventura Chamber of Commerce’s Poinsettia Awards ceremony. The award, which acknowledges the best that Ventura has to offer, recognizes Visit Ventura for their leadership in bringing the X Games to Ventura this past summer. This is the second time Visit Ventura has received the Innovation Award — a distinction rarely bestowed on a business or organization twice.
“Innovation is often thought of in terms of technology, but Marlyss Auster and her team at Visit Ventura brought the best kind of innovation- they challenged our community to do something big, reach new heights, be inclusive and collaborate, yet stay authentic,” said Chamber Board member Amy Fonzo during the video presentation. “[O]ur small town made it big on the world stage with more than 5 Billion media impressions. But more than anything we believed in ourselves and made it happen. Thank you for changing how we see ourselves.”
The Innovation Award was bestowed on Visit Ventura for the organization’s leadership in making the event happen through the coordination of multiple state, county, and city-wide partnerships. X Games California 2023 broke numerous records and saw many firsts: the first Amtrak train wrap, the first traditional Chumash blessing in front of X Games athletes and media, and the first time the event sold out merchandise and tickets, among many other successes.
Visit Ventura’s approach to preparing for the X Games was clear and simple: it had to be rooted in local community collaboration and representation. At every turn, Visit Ventura considered whose voices needed to be heard and worked out ways those ideas could best be implemented in a plan that would benefit visitors and locals alike.
At the forefront of Visit Ventura’s leadership was Marlyss Auster, President and CEO. In a surprise honor, Auster received the Hometown Hero Award. Auster is only the 10th person to receive the award since its inception in 1997.
“I can think of no one more deserving of this year’s Hometown Hero Award than Marlyss Auster,” said Ventura Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Stephanie Caldwell. “You just heard the incredible story of innovation and how her team at Visit Ventura rallied to create opportunities for our community to shine during the X Games. But what you may not know is there is only one reason Ventura was able to land the X Games – Marlyss Auster would …not…give…up.”
Read the official Visit Ventura Press Release HERE.
