People in the News: Companies Continue to Add to Rosters in October

November 12, 2014

Autumn brought a busy time with companies adding sales, marketing, operations and executive positions to their employee rosters.

Shepard Exposition Services added of two new national sales managers to help support its expanding business in the Orlando and Las Vegas markets. Alex Shelton will be based in Shepard’s Las Vegas branch and Tony Diehl in their Orlando branch.

Richard Maples, Shepard’s executive vice president of sales, said, “As we continue to grow our business, it’s critical that we maintain our focus on providing the best customer service, experience and success in the industry. We do this by attracting and hiring associates who embody the same values and commitment to service upon which Shepard is built. In short, we only hire the best."

Ricardo Ortiz also was promoted to vice president of sales for its western region. A long-time Shepard Associate, Ortiz has been tapped to lead the Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Phoenix sales teams.

DoubleDutch has named Annie Tsai, former chief customer officer at Intuit’s Demandforce, as head of customer experience. In this role, Tsai will help DoubleDutch ensure that their clients are better equipped to maximize their event ROI through the use of DoubleDutch’s data-driven technology, particularly as the company’s growth accelerates dramatically.

Convention Data Services (CDS), the authority in registration and lead management services, has named Christine Cullity as its new director of marketing. Cullity brings to CDS over 14 years of experience in strategic marketing, corporate branding and communications as well as tradeshow logistics. In her new role, Cullity will lead the company’s marketing initiatives and work closely with the leadership team to develop and execute the strategic mission and vision.

“We are delighted to welcome Christine to our CDS team. Her marketing experience and leadership skills will be a great asset to us as we continue to develop and provide innovative solutions for our clients. She is customer service-oriented which is a great fit for our company culture,” said John Kimball, president and CEO, Convention Data Services.

Team San Jose recently hired sales manager Paul Sprinkmann to drive sales efforts for the busy California corporate and association market segments. He will be responsible for booking California-based meeting groups of 200 room nights or less, with a special focus on the Bay Area and Northern California.

“With the robust local economy and significant renovations to area hotels, corporate and association meeting planners are seeing the benefits of bringing their meetings and events to San Jose,” said Diana Ponton, Team San Jose’s vice president of sales and marketing. “Paul Sprinkmann’s CVB background and versatile industry experience in sales, tourism and travel and leisure, make him an excellent addition to advance our sales goals and strategies.”

Display Group, a leading custom display and event rental and services company, has hired Michael Miner as chief sales officer.   The company has posted 15-20 percent growth for the past several years, and is expanding their presence in the vibrant metro-Detroit marketplace.   Miner brings 22 years of rental industry experience, and assisted in growing Classic Party Rentals from a regional operation to a 35-store national footprint. 

Founder and president of Display Group, Rick Portwood, said “We are pleased to be adding a proven industry leader to bring even greater customer service and growth focus to our company.”

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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.