The newly hired president and CEO of the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau reports for duty March 16, Visit Corpus Christi officials announced February 17. Brett Oetting, the former president of Visit Topeka in Topeka, Kansas, replaces Paulette Kluge, who resigned in September.
“The Board of Directors is extremely confident in Brett’s ability to move Visit Corpus Christi forward to new heights,” board Chair Ed Cantu said. “Brett’s energy, vision, industry knowledge, and tremendous preparation set him apart at the end.”
Oetting also was executive vice president of the Greater Topeka Partnership. He resigned from both positions in December. He has 20 years' experience in the tourism industry and will be moving to Corpus Christi with his wife, Amber, who works in the oil and gas industry.
Alyssa Barrera Mason has been holding down the job as interim while also continuing her position as executive director of the Corpus Christi Downtown Management District. She was brought in by the board after Kluge’s controversial resignation.
Kluge resigned after announcing she had penned a new contract with the family of Selena Quintanilla Perez. Although the move was legal, the board and members of the Corpus Christi City Council were unhappy she did not come to them before the deal was inked. Kluge, who built a relationship with the Quintanilla family that made the last five festivals possible, agreed to pay the nonprofit Selena Foundation at least $50,000 a year for the festival.
The original deal promised a cut of the profits, which have been declining every year. The 2019 festival, which was the last one, would have netted the Quintanillas only $30,000. Kluge paid the family $50,000 with a promise of at least that in years to come.
After the controversy, the Quintanillas pulled the festival from Corpus Christi. Rumors surfaced that it would move to San Antonio. They then announced there would be no more Fiesta de la Flor.
On February 18, the family made a new announcement in conjunction with the city of San Antonio. Selena XXV will mark the 25th anniversary of the singer’s death.