Brad Dean serves as the President & CEO of Explore St. Louis, having taken on the role in early 2025. Before this position, he held leadership roles with destination marketing organizations in Puerto Rico and Myrtle Beach. His experience focuses on enhancing tourism and convention business, particularly in the culinary and ag tech sectors in St. Louis.

Some highlights of his tenure include:

Development of a culinary garden at America’s Center, which aims to provide fresh produce for events and emphasize sustainable meetings.
Facilitating the expansion of the convention center by adding 75,000 square feet of exhibit space, making it one of the largest in the country.
Promoting St. Louis as a premiere meeting destination by leveraging local resources, including partnerships with nearby colleges and universities to create a speakers bureau that highlights regional expertise.
Dean’s leadership aims to enhance the attractiveness of St. Louis as a destination for associations, church groups, and tech industry events