2025 -- H 6261

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LC002761

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

HONORING AND CONGRATULATING EVAN SMITH ON THE OCCASION OF HIS

RETIREMENT AS PRESIDENT AND CEO OF DISCOVER NEWPORT

     Introduced By: Representatives Carson, Abney, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale,
Cortvriend, McGaw, Edwards, Donovan, and Tanzi

     Date Introduced: April 24, 2025

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Evan Smith, CEO and President of Discover Newport, retired on Friday,

February 28, 2025, after more than 40 years working in myriad segments of the travel industry;

and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Smith began his illustrious career selling European and Caribbean

vacations for Value Vacations, after which he relocated to Connecticut, where he spent five years

employed with the Sheraton/Hartford and then Water's Edge Resort in hotel sales and

management; and

     WHEREAS, In 1988, Mr. Smith moved to Newport, where he became the Director of

Sales for the Treadway Inn and Resort, and in 1990, he joined the newly created Newport County

Convention and Visitor Bureau, now known as Discover Newport, where he served as Director of

Marketing and Tourism Development; and

     WHEREAS, In May of 2000, Mr. Smith was promoted to Vice President of Tourism

Marketing, and in 2005, he was named President and CEO of Discover Newport, the position he

held until his recent retirement; and

     WHEREAS, In his capacity as head of Discover Newport, Mr. Smith was successful in

forming strong collaborations with numerous organizations in order to carry out a strategic plan

that promoted both the State's coastal communities as well as business and leisure travel; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Smith's accomplishments also include increasing the organization's

promotional budget from $2 million to more than $5 million over the past twenty years, and

helping to guide Discover Newport through COVID, by avoiding a total shut-down and restoring

revenue generation to higher than pre-COVID levels; and

     WHEREAS, Throughout his tenure with Discover Newport, Mr. Smith has played a key

role in working to keep the Newport Mansions open during the winter months, which has helped

to build the City's winter tourist season, and also cultivated the cruise ship industry in Newport

and international markets; and

     WHEREAS, Devoted to the community, Mr. Smith has been involved in a panoply of

local boards and commissions including, serving as chair, co-chair or a member of the Tall Ships,

the rededication of the Bellevue Avenue parade, the Volvo Ocean Race, the Newport Pell Bridge

50th Anniversary Committee, serving two terms on the Destinations International Board of

Directors, and as a member of the Board of Directors for the Greater Newport County Chamber

of Commerce, Touro Synagogue and many others. He also created the first New England

Tourism Improvement District in 2018; and

     WHEREAS, During Mr. Smith's decades-long career, he has helped to evolve Discover

Newport into a powerful economic engine for Newport and Bristol counties as well as our State,

and he is eminently worthy of our gratitude and recognition; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

honors and congratulates Evan Smith on the occasion of his retirement, and acknowledges and

thanks him for all the contributions he has made to Newport, Bristol County, and the people of

our State. We furthermore wish him the very best of health and continued success in all his future

endeavors; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. Evan Smith.

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