People News: Ungerboeck, CadmiumCD, New Orleans, Houston and Phoenix All Make Hires

June 20, 2017

Hiring and promoting was fast and furious during the past month, with several trade show companies growing their company rosters.

Ungerboeck, an event and venue management technology company, added Eric Kaser to the company’s executive leadership team.

As vice president of sales, Americas, Kaser will lead sales strategy and execution from company headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri.

“Eric is a powerful addition to the Ungerboeck team,” said Ungerboeck CEO, Manish Chandak. “He has a proven track record of success in software sales and sales leadership that is going to be instrumental in accelerating our growth and helping us reach new heights.”

Prior to his position at Ungerboeck, Kaser enjoyed a successful career as a long-term sales leader at the Reynolds & Reynolds Company.

CadmiumCD has brought on Bryan Scott as their new CSO. Scott’s experience provides the company with a unique opportunity not only for their organization but also for their clients.

With more than 20 years of experience, Scott has brought product offerings to market during his career that have empowered all stakeholders throughout the event lifecycle.

Scott is former president of the Convention Division at Wyndham Jade, and founder and CEO of pioneer event tech company, Taptopia.

Michelle Minyard has been named as national sales manager at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

In this role, Minyard will be responsible for developing and servicing clients in the Washington D.C. and Southeast markets. She also will work closely with the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau on prospects to generate business for the Convention Center.

With her career in the New Orleans hospitality industry spanning more than 25 years, Minyard brings rich sales and event planning experience to the position.

Previously, she served as sponsorship director for the Festival International de Louisiane and the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience. Minyard honed her sales skills in sales manager roles with the Hilton St. Charles Hotel New Orleans, New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (2004-2005) and the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Ronnie Collins has joined Visit Phoenix’s convention sales team as director of sales. He takes over for former Director of Sales, Lorne Edwards, who was recently promoted to vice president of sales and services.

Collins joins Visit Phoenix with an extensive career in the hospitality industry. He most recently served as director of sales and marketing for the newly opened Hilton Cleveland Downtown, a 600-room new build property attached to the Cleveland Convention Center.

Houston First Corporation has brought a pair of seasoned professionals to its staff with the appointments of Cynthia F. Decker as vice president of sales revenue and marketing strategy and B. Todd Holloman as director of convention services at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Decker has an extensive career in the hotel industry with more than a decade of revenue management experience. Her most recent position was vice president of revenue management with Houston-based American Liberty Hospitality.

Holloman brings high-profile event skills to Houston First’s convention center.  Most recently Holloman served as the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee’s vice president and executive producer for Super Bowl Live.

He’s also worked in other high-visibility roles in Houston for the NCAA Final Four Organizing Committee, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts and the Mayor’s Office of Special Events.

Holloman also worked for the Bayou City Art Festival, engaged in numerous consulting positions, served in community leadership posts and is a graduate of Baylor University.

Holloman was hired to succeed John Gonzalez, who was promoted to vice president of the GRB earlier this year.

In addition, Katelyn Orenchuk has been named an event manager at the GRB. A native of Canada and a graduate of the University of Texas, Orenchuk comes to Houston First from Texas Medical Center, where she was an executive liaison for special events.

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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