Leonard Hoops is President & CEO of Visit Indy, the official destination management organization of Indianapolis. He joined Visit Indy in 2011 and leads a team of 58 industry professionals who are charged with growing Central Indiana’s nearly $6 billion convention, tourism, and event business. Hoops also leads Tourism Tomorrow Indy, which oversees Indy’s Destination Vision.

Under Hoops’ leadership, Visit Indy has shattered all-time records for convention and tourism sales, been named the #1 Convention City in America by USA Today, and ranked as a top visitor destination by The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, and Time. Visit Indy has also been recognized as a “Best Place to Work in Indiana” for nine consecutive years.

Prior to joining Visit Indy, Hoops was EVP & Chief Customer Officer of San Francisco Travel for five years, where he led teams that produced all-time convention sales records and managed international tourism development offices in 13 countries. In Hoops’ 35+ years of destination and corporate marketing experience, he has also served as SVP & Chief Marketing Officer of the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, SVP of Marketing of the San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau and managed corporate communications for a $1 billion global division of FMC Corp. (then a Fortune 120 company).

Hoops has been named one of the 250 most influential business leaders in Indiana (the “Indiana 250”) the past three years by the Indianapolis Business Journal, an “Indiana Living Legend” by the Indiana Historical Society, one of the “25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry”by Successful Meetings, and one of the “Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality & Travel Sales & Marketing” by HSMAI.

He has received the Destination Organization Leadership Award from Destinations International, the Sloan-Kettering Award for Business from Delta Upsilon Fraternity, a Kinetic Catalyst Award from Smart Meetings, and the Vonnegut Humor Award from the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library. Hoops earned a BA in Journalism from San Jose State University and an MBA from Santa Clara University, both with honors.

He recently served as chair of PCMA (the world’s largest association of senior convention and event executives) and currently serves on the boards of the U.S. Travel Association, the Marion County Capital Improvement Board, the Indy Chamber, Downtown Indy, the Indiana Sports Corp., the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, and the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game. He is also a Governor’s appointee to the Indiana Protection and Advocacy Services (IPAS) Commission. He has previously served on the boards of Destinations International, Super Bowl XLVI (2012), the 2022 College Football Playoff Championship, the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, several NCAA Final Fours, Conner Prairie Museum, and the Immigrant Welcome Center.

Hoops and his family (wife, Dorene; children, Cannon & Avalon; and Olive the Dog) live in downtown Indianapolis.