Ray Peabody
Founder/Principal
CVB Digital founder Ray Peabody has built a reputation as a forward-thinking, energetic and dynamic marketing leader with proven success in traditional and digital and social media communications.
Digital Marketing
His expertise has been recognized by the Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization (President) – American Marketing Association – Harvard Business Review – The Wall Street Journal – International Association of Business Communicators – SoCon – Standard & Poor’s Society of Industry Leaders – Digital Summit and Kentucky Travel Industry Association.
The University of South Florida, MUMA College of Business. Ray serves on the Steering Committee for the Digital Marketing Certification Program.
Ray has had articles published by International Association of Business Communicators and Southeast Tourism Society. For eight years, he taught a monthly seminar on digital marketing for local publishers. He most recently led digital marketing for a Verizon company and the brand reinvigoration for a Michelin group company.
Speaking engagements:
- Keynote Speaker, The Wall Street Journal Luxury Conclave
- MBA Lecturer, Georgia Institute of Technology and Jacksonville State University – “Internet Law” and “Internet Business Strategy”
- SoCon – “Maintaining Your Brand’s Voice in Dynamic Social Media”
- International Association of Business Communicators – “Maintaining Your Brand’s Voice in Dynamic Social Media”
- Digital Summit – “Keyword Selection and Intelligence”
- Georgia Association of CVBs “Integrating your DMO digital marketing strategy. Breaking down the digital silos and identifying how social media impacts PR, blogs, and advertising.”
- Has taught many training sessions on digital marketing
Tourism Marketing
Ray began his career in tourism marketing as an economic development consultant for the cities of Portsmouth VA, Riverside CA and Billings MT in 1983 and 1984. He soon recognized the challenges of bringing visitors to smaller cities that have to work harder to attract them.
He then spent five years in Portsmouth developing its tourism potential in partnership with the city. He counseled the Chamber of Commerce and Department of Economic Development and served as Chairman of Long Range Planning for the Museum and Fine Arts Commission. And, he initiated the renovation of historic Commodore Theatre into a movie bistro that preserved its architectural integrity.
In the shadow of Williamsburg and Virginia Beach, he led the creation of special events that showcased the city’s history and heritage: Declaration Celebration, Towne Lighting, HMS Mary Rose exhibit and Tidewater In-Water Yacht Show.
As Chairman of Communications for the national Commemoration Commission for the 125th Anniversary of the Battle of the Ironclads, he directed media coverage and set up an authentic Civil War encampment on the grounds of the historic Naval Hospital Portsmouth (1837).
For the Virginia Opera, he provided promotion and advertising when they introduced subtitles to expand their audience base.
Tourism Event of the Year recognition by Southeast Tourism Society, he was the lead marketer for the US Hot Air Balloon Team Championship staged by Gwinnett County, Georgia.
Joining AOL to prepare its first Olympics coverage, Ray was AOL’s local host including staging events, creating the interactive exhibit at the Olympic Experience, and he built Digital City Atlanta a pioneering online media outlet that showcased Atlanta to the burgeoning online community.
Cox Media’s ICFlorida.com under his leadership became the most visited website for Central Florida and encouraged visitors to look beyond the theme parks and spend an extra day visiting other areas in and around Orlando.
As a publisher, he introduced the “Practical Guide to Event Planning” for the metro Atlanta area. And for Gwinnett County, he created Gwinnett’s “Meeting and Tour Planner.”
He has also provided counsel and services to numerous CVBs in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky and South Carolina.