San Diego Convention Center Corporation Appoints Mardeen Mattix as President and CEO

The San Diego Convention Center Corporation has appointed Mardeen Mattix as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective 24 June 2026. Mattix has been with the centre for 28 years, joining in 1998 and moving through leadership roles across event management, sales, accounting, finance and executive administration. She was most recently Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, with responsibility for financial strategy, organisational performance, governance, labour relations, capital planning and risk management. She holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Western Washington University and was named CFO of the Year in the nonprofit category by the San Diego Business Journal in 2023. She succeeds Clifford Rippetoe, who retired after ten years leading the organisation. Board Chair Will Rodriguez-Kennedy said Mattix's depth of experience, strategic mindset and demonstrated leadership within the organisation and the community made her the clear choice. The appointment followed a national executive search led by the board chair and conducted by SearchWide Global under Mark Gnatovic. The San Diego Convention Center generated an estimated 1.57 billion US dollars in regional economic impact in fiscal 2025, supporting local jobs, businesses, visitor spending and tax revenues.