Ernest Wooden, Jr.

Hospitality executive Ernest Wooden, Jr. was born on June 26, 1950 in New York City, New York to Ernest Wooden, Sr. and Mildred Holt. Wooden received both his B.S. degree in business administration in 2006 and his M.S.M. degree in 2007 from Thomas Edison University in Trenton, North Carolina. Wooden also earned his M.Phil. degree from the International School of Management in Paris, France in 2019.

Wooden began his career in the hospitality industry in 1976 as vice president and general manager of the Sheraton Poste Inn in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. In 1984, he relocated to Washington, D.C., where he served as general manager of Washington D.C. Convention Center Caterers. Three years later, in 1987, he joined Omni Hotels Corporation in Dallas, Texas as regional area director of operations. In 1996, Wooden was named vice president for the Florida region at Doubletree Hotels Corporation in Memphis, Tennessee. Following the company’s merger with Promus Hotel Corporation in 1998, he was promoted to regional vice president. The next year, he joined Hilton Hotels Corporation in Beverly Hills, California as senior vice president; and in 2006, he was elevated to executive vice president, overseeing global operations and brand strategy. From 2008 to 2009, Wooden served as senior managing director and executive vice president at Alagem Capital Group in Beverly Hills, California. In 2009, he founded his own firm, Creative Consulting, a hospitality management and advisory company, where he served as chief executive officer. In 2013, Wooden was appointed president and chief executive officer of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (LATCB), where he was responsible for the marketing and tourism development efforts for Los Angeles until his retirement in 2020.

Wooden was a member of several boards including the US Travel Association, Thomas Edison State University in Trenton, New Jersey, the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission, the Los Angeles 2026 World Cup Executive Committee, the Los Angeles Executive Board 2028 Olympic Committee, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the Los Angeles Hotels Association, the Visit California Committee, and the U.S. Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism Executive Committee.

Wooden also received numerous awards and honors He was inducted into the U.S. Travel Association Hall of Leaders in 2020 and was featured on Ebony magazine’s Power 100 list in 2015.

Wooden lives with his wife, Annice Wooden, in Bradenton, Florida. They have four children and four grandchildren.

Ernest Wooden Jr. was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on June 12, 2023.