Executive Profile
Name: Cynthia Johnson Mohr
Title: Senior Sales Manager
Organization: Visit Myrtle Beach
Location: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Birthplace: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Education:
Attended Horry-Georgetown Technical College
Career History:
• Holiday Inn North: front desk clerk, golf director, director of sales (1985–1992)
• Hilton Myrtle Beach/Kingston Resorts: director of sales (1992–2002)
• Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel: sales manager (2002–2019)
• Visit Myrtle Beach: senior sales manager (2019–present)
Cynthia (Cyndi) Mohr might just be the ideal person to work at Visit Myrtle Beach, the South Carolina city’s convention and visitors bureau. No one knows better than a local when it comes to choosing the best recreational activities, events and restaurants.
Mohr grew up right in town at the now deactivated Myrtle Beach Air Force Base and now lives about an hour inland in Galivants Ferry.
Mohr attended Horry-Georgetown Technical College, which is where the hospitality bug first bit her.
“I started out working at the front desk during college, and I’ve been in the hospitality industry in this area since 1987,” said Mohr. “I just loved it and I still do, and that’s why I decided to quit studying to be an accountant and just roll with it.”
Mohr went from working the 3–11 p.m. shift at the front desk to being reservations manager.
“I handled all the group reservations, which in the mid-80s was all golf groups,” she said. “Then I got promoted to golf director at a Holiday Inn in North Myrtle Beach right on the ocean.”
Mohr then accepted a job at the Hilton, which she says was different and more corporate. Thanks to her golf background, she moved into a golf director role at the Hilton, too. When that hotel merged with Kingston Resorts, Mohr took the role of director of sales, selling the former Hilton and an Embassy Suites, plus their collection of condominiums. She moved to the Sheraton, which was attached to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, where after a year she was tasked to handle only the North Carolina market. Over the years, she was promoted to senior sales manager, while also working alongside hotel staff in a variety of capacities.
“I’ve worked in pretty much every aspect of the hotel,” she said. “I’ve stripped beds, folded towels, plated food, washed sheets, bussed tables. It gives you a real appreciation for everything housekeeping does. I respect what they do. It’s not an easy job — I’ve done it. It makes you respect hotel front desk people, restaurant servers and others in the industry.”
Mohr moved into her current role as senior sales manager at Visit Myrtle Beach almost six years ago, something she says she felt privileged to be able to do. When she first met Bob Harris, Visit Myrtle Beach’s executive vice president, they hit it off instantly — she loved his enthusiasm about the city, while he was impressed by her familiarity with the area and all the local players in the industry. A month later, Harris called Mohr to encourage her to apply for the job that had opened up at Visit Myrtle Beach.
“It was a great move on my part,” said Mohr. “It’s a wonderful thing to be able to sell this beautiful place. We have great hotel partners and great meeting facilities, over 90 golf courses and 2,000 restaurants. We have 60 miles of sunny beaches with beach communities, and they’re redeveloping downtown to make it more walkable.”
Now, working with associations across North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, she has shone in her role and has been awarded Associate of the Year by the South Carolina Society of Association Executives.
“I was so honored — it goes a long way in telling the type of person I am and what my counterparts think of me,” said Mohr. “I’ve made a lot of really great friends that are a part of this industry — meeting planners or CVB reps. I love meeting people and hearing their stories.”
Tips from Cynthia Mohr
• Use your local CVB. They have the knowledge of the destination and can recommend the best options to meet your group’s needs.
• CVBs offer a range of free services such as visitor guides, site selection assistance, promotional materials and RFP distribution.
• CVBs can offer assistance with securing discounts for local attractions and welcome materials, and can make suggestions for off-site activities.
