ROANOKE, Va., March 26, 2026 – Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge is pleased to announce the addition of Demp Bradford as Vice President of Sports and Sales. Bradford brings more than 25 years of executive experience in sports tourism, event management, and nonprofit leadership, including serving as Vice President/COO of the Greensboro Sports Foundation and President of the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission. Throughout his career, he has led the successful recruitment and execution of NCAA championships, conference tournaments, and international sporting events, generating significant economic impact and strengthening destination positioning.

“We’re excited to welcome Demp to the Visit VBR team and look forward to the expertise he brings to this role. His leadership will be instrumental as we continue to grow our sports and meetings efforts,” said Landon Howard, President of Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge.

Notably, Bradford played a leadership role in relocating the Maui Invitational to Asheville in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and was instrumental in securing and hosting three Billie Jean King Cup ties—marking the first major international sporting events in Asheville’s history.

A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and East Carolina University, Bradford has also served as an adjunct professor in sports administration and finance at Guilford College, helping prepare the next generation of industry leaders.

His leadership will play a key role in advancing Virginia’s Blue Ridge as a premier destination for sports and meetings, continuing to elevate the region’s visibility on the national stage.

MEDIA CONTACT
Kathryn Lucas (Director of Public Relations)
Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge
540-342-6025 ext. 129
klucas@visitvbr.com    

About Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge (VBR)
Visit VBR is the official destination marketing organization for Virginia’s Blue Ridge which includes the Cities of Roanoke and Salem and the Counties of Botetourt, Franklin, and Roanoke. The region is easily accessible via the Roanoke-Blacksburg Airport (ROA), Interstate 81, and Amtrak’s northeast regional route. Virginia’s Blue Ridge (VBR) is nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains and along the Blue Ridge Parkway, providing a metro mountain mix of exciting outdoor adventure with refined culture.  For more information, go to www.VisitVBR.com.