The three finalists for the position of Seaside Civic and Convention Center general manager, Mac McGoldrick, Brian Owen and Tony Camarillo, received a public introduction May 20.

Russ Vandenberg, who has led the facility since 2015, will work through July.

Candidates underwent Zoom meetings with Vandenberg and Assistant City Manager Jon Rahl before the field was narrowed to three. McGoldrick, Owen and Camarillo met with business leaders and city staff on May 20 before the meet-and-greet in the convention center’s Riverside Room.

“I think they all bring a unique and diverse set of skills and backgrounds,” Rahl said.

Finalists were chosen based on a combination of experience, personality and fit, he said. “I think we all know that Seaside’s a special community. You want to have the right fit. We’ve had a lot of success in this facility.”

Camarillo started his career in Chicago working at Navy Pier. About seven years ago, he moved to Lakeland, Florida, to run the RP Funding Center, a multiuse space, where he served as executive director.

Camarillo described the convention center’s general manager position as “intriguing.” “Anytime things look intriguing, it’s worth taking a look,” he said. “I think it’s a neat opportunity.”

McGoldrick has worked six years for the Drala Mountain Center, a 600-acre Buddhist retreat in the Colorado Rockies, as senior director of master planning and development.

Prior to that, he ran a 100,000-square-foot facility at Colorado State University.

“I want to be a part of a strong community,” McGoldrick said. “The university was a large state bureaucracy. At the mountain center, it’s a smaller scale and remote. I really want to kind of bring these two things together. I see an opportunity to make a difference in the community.”

Owen has served as CEO of the Seaside Chamber of Commerce since 2016. Prior to that, he was the business development specialist for First American Title & Escrow. A longtime volunteer and board member, Owen was chairman of the board for McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce in 2007 and in 2005 was honored as their chamber volunteer of the year.

As chamber CEO, he has distinguished himself helping businesses navigate through the pandemic, expanding local outreach and events and working with the city’s hospitality industry.

“Working with the chamber of commerce has really given me a lot of opportunity to expand the economic development of our area,” Owen said.

Owen stressed his local experience and connections. “I believe I can come in and help vision what this place is going to look like for the next 10 to 15 years,” he said.

A decision could come early next week. “We’ll be discussing the candidates,” City Manager Mark Winstanley said. “From that, it ends up being my decision to make.”