The Richmond area’s biggest cheerleader for tourism is headed for retirement.

Known for his energy and enthusiasm for all things Richmond, John F. “Jack” Berry Jr. has announced that he will end his 31 years at the helm of Richmond Regional Tourism on June 30.

“Serving in this capacity has been the honor my life, made all the richer by the incredible support from leaders across the region, as well as the team at RRT who brings extraordinary talent, energy and creativity with them to work every day, Mr. Berry stated in announcing his decision.

His successor is already in place. The RRT board has approved Katherine O’Donnell, a 22-year veteran who is currently the executive vice president, will move up to president and CEO after Mr. Berry’s departure.

Mr. Berry is credited with playing a pivotal role in enabling the region to fully promote its historic, cultural and natural assets and attracting conventions, sports tourists and other visitors in record numbers.

His efforts have led to a substantial investment in new hotels, motels and other visitor occupancy arrangement and the accompanying growth in employment.

During his tenure, he was a key figure in securing the $165 million expansion of the regional convention center in Downtown, now the largest in Virginia.

Recently, he gained support from the city and county governments to add a 2% tax on lodging to create a tourism improvement district to beef up the region’s marketing in a bid to bring more tourists to the areas.

Mr. Berry stated that the plaudits he has received are due to the hard work of the staff of 27 he has managed.

He noted they have identified, tracked and magnified trends thorugh social media and online advertising that have helped Richmond roll out the welcome mat for a wide assortment of people.

The result is that during Mr. Berry’s tenure, Richmond has repeatedly been named a destination to visit by an assortment of national publications, helping to bring more people and spending to the area.