People News: Core-apps, L.A. Convention Center, Comexposium and More Make Hires, Promotions

July 25, 2018
LACC's Ellen Schwartz named GM

In the past, companies typically slowed down with their hiring and other employee changes throughout the summer months, but not anymore.

Now, it’s full steam ahead all-year long with a plethora of new hires and promotions occurring throughout the past few months.

Ellen Schwartz has been promoted to General Manager of the Los Angeles Convention by AEG Facilities, operators of the downtown Los Angeles facility.

Additionally, Brad Gessner, who has held the position of general manager of the Convention Center since AEG Facilities was awarded the management contract in October of 2013, has been promoted to senior vice president of the LACC, responsible for contract administration, strategic planning and participating on the expansion & modernization team for the LACC.

In her new role, Schwartz will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the 867,000 square foot facility including sales & marketing, public relations, operations, guest services & security, event services, human resources, food & beverage and parking operations while also overseeing the convention center’s operating budget, and revenue maximization.

Having joined the staff of the Los Angeles Convention Center in Oct. 2013, Schwartz has held a variety of executive and management positions including vice president of sales and marketing before being named assistant general manager in July 2017.

Comexposium, the global events organiser, appointed Romain Chassinat as chief digital officer (CDO).

Romain joins Comexposium from Rexel, where he most recently was MarketPlace business development director.

As CDO, Romain will be responsible for driving the digital transformation of the business, as Comexposium seeks to deliver more value to its customers through the integrated alignment of data and technology.

Core-apps, a technology platform for the events industry, hired on Scott Andryk as senior manager, National Corporate Sales.

Andryk is a meetings management, sales and event technology professional with more than 20 years’ experience as both an organizer and supplier. He also is rejoining the company and his former role, as sales executive to the expanding corporate event market.

Andryk most recently served as director of business development for Bucom International, an incentive and meeting management firm headquartered in Chicago.

He’s also developed an ongoing strategic partnership with industry leader PCMA, served on many corporate boards including Hilton, Marriott, and United Airlines and currently is serving on SITE Chicago's BOD, as director of Sponsorship.

Reed Exhibitions (RX) tapped industry veteran Tony Shellman, best known as co-founder of cult-followed streetwear apparel labels Mecca, Enyce and Parish Nation, who will join the ReedPOP West leadership team.

Shellman joins RXUS on the heels of the announcement of Ron Walden leading as group vice president overseeing the Fashion & Festival portfolios of ReedPOP West.

Shellman will serve as Agenda Vegas event director working with ReedPOP West’s sales and marketing teams for the Agenda Vegas event.

The ReedPOP West team currently produces 6 events, which include Agenda Shows, Agenda Festival, ComplexCon, Pop Sugar Playground and more to be announced.

Full-service sourcing, housing and event management company Connections Housing has made an executive team promotion to enhance its continued growth and customer service focus, with Robert Colvin has assumed the role of COO.  


As COO, Colvin will focus on growth and expansion initiatives, overall executive oversight of operations, customer service enhancements, call center and travel department operations and enterprise-wide increased efficiencies.

Previously executive vice president for Connections, Colvin joined the company in June of 2010 after numerous years in various housing and hotel executive positions.  

Colvin also has been an active member of numerous industry trade organizations, as well as leadership roles with the Southwest Chapter of IAEE.  

Jill Buckley joined Meet Minneapolis as a national account executive and will lead the sales effort in the Northeast association and corporate meetings market.

In addition, Buckley will be responsible for sales efforts in the government meetings market across the country.

Prior to joining Meet Minneapolis, Buckley was a sales manager with GES, a global event marketing company.

Buckley’s career also includes roles as a global account executive for ConferenceDirect, a corporate sales manager at US Airways, and she spent nearly a decade with Visit Charlotte as its national sales manager.

Add new comment

Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.