Dan Dierdorf

County executive Charlie Dooley and I nominated Dan Dierdorf to be chairman of the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission. Today, Gov. Matt Blunt announced that he has chosen Mr. Dierdorf. That is great news.

Everybody knows the bio:

Dan was born in Canton, Ohio — and, after successful college and pro football careers, he is enshrined there in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That same football career cemented his relationship to us. From 1971 to 1983, Dan anchored the offensive line of the St. Louis Football Cardinals. After an All-Pro career as a player, Dan brought his special mix of brains and sportsmanship to St. Louis radio in stints at KMOX and KTRS, and to local and national television at KMOV-TV, CBS, and ABC.

Dan will be joining his new CVC team in what he used to refer to as a “rebuilding year.” County exec Charlie Dooley and I have been working with the CVC staff for the last year to improve their performance sharply. There has been some progress, but the stakes are very high. Hotels and entertainment, retail, and cultural destinations in both the City and the county need the dollars that business and convention travelers leave behind when they come here. Those travelers mean jobs for St. Louisans and their dollars pay for City and County services that would otherwise be supported by local tax payers.

I look forward to working with Dan.