People News: New CEOs for Global DMC Partners, San Diego Tourism and More

February 24, 2020

The latest round of people announcements is all about girl power. Check out the latest promotions, new hires and appointments of (mostly) women across the industry this month: 

Catherine Chaulet is now president and CEO of Global DMC Partners, a network of independently owned destination management companies. Serving as president of the company for six years, her promotion to CEO came as a result of her strong leadership skills. 

Julie Coker, president and CEO of Philadelphia CVB, will depart from her role in March to take on a new position as president and CEO of San Diego Tourism Authority. She has been with Philadelphia CVB since 2016.

People

Destinations International has hired Gail Mutnik for a newly created position of director of meetings within the organization. She will begin on March 19 and brings more than three decades of experience to her new role.

Sonia Fong has been named vice president of convention sales for the Greater Miami CVB. She’s been with the organization for 20 years, and her main focus will continue to be selling the Miami Beach Convention Center for citywides. 

Womenswear trade event COTERIE has appointed Colleen Sherin to lead as president. She was most recently vice president of wholesale at Alexander McQueen. 

Crystal Kennedy is now senior national accounts director at Philadelphia CVB. With 17 years of hotel sales experience, she was most recently associate director of sales at Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas. She’ll be based in Dallas to focus on customers in the Western U.S.

The Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB welcomed Mike Sophia as vice president of sports business development. He’ll oversee efforts to draw professional, collegiate, amateur and recreational sporting events to Broward County.

People

Karin Gillard has joined CSI DMC as senior account executive. She was most recently director of catering sales at Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas and will be based in Las Vegas for her new role. Also within CSI DMC, Morgan Alexander has been promoted to director of event management in the Chicago office.

Elizabeth Yienger is now a national sales manager at Louisville Tourism, where she is responsible for Northeast sales territories. She’s held previous regional director roles with Hilton and Starwood Hotels in the region.

Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority Board of Directors in Chicago has named Larita Clark, the organization’s previous CFO, as active CEO and CFO. She has been with the Authority since 1984.

In combining its Learnings and Meetings department functions, ASAE has appointed Amy Ledoux as chief learning and meetings officer to oversee this new combined operation. She’s been with ASAE for 15 years and brings 30 years of industry experience to her new role.

Detroit Metro CVB has restructured its leadership organizational structure, promoting four directors to newly created vice president positions: Harriet Carter is now vice president of customer/partner services; Renee Monforton is vice president of marketing and communications; Susan Richardson is vice president of group and convention sales; and Jessica Strasser is vice president of talent resources. 

Exhibition and event services company Fern has hired Mark Shadwick as senior national sales manager. He’ll be based in the Alexandria, Virginia, office and brings more than 30 years of industry experience to his new role.

People

Kari Morehead has been named special events and partnerships coordinator for New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, where she’ll be responsible for coordinating all activities related to special events.

Washington, D.C.-based trade show marketing agency Fixation Marketing has a new hire and two promotions. Sydney Bowker has joined the company as senior account executive, and both Rachel Gellman and Julia Ruxer have been promoted to account manager.

CEDIA Expo, an event for technology within the intelligently built environment, has brought on Ron Trznadel as account executive.

Edmonton, Canada-based event rentals company River City Events has appointed a new general manager, Marnie Gomes. She has more than 25 years of experience in the events industry.

Debbie Megna has joined Travel Costa Mesa as destination sales executive, where she’ll be focused on bringing in new group business to Costa Mesa in Orange County, California.

 


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Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact