Encore, a company that provides end-to-end production for in-person, hybrid and virtual events, hired Georgina Flores as chief marketing officer to support innovation across the customer journey. Flores joins Encore from Aetna, a CVS Health company that ranked No. 6 on the 2023 Fortune 500 list, where she was vice president of marketing for commercial and specialty markets. In this newly created position, she will provide strategic guidance to the company’s brand, customer insights, product marketing, communications and industry relations functions, leading marketing as a key driver for growth.

“Georgina’s customer-centric orientation and people-centric leadership style is a great fit for Encore,” said Ben Erwin, president and CEO. “We’re continuing to build a leadership team squarely focused on elevating the customer experience to power growth and relationship. The combination of her natural curiosity and depth of experience leading award-winning marketing campaigns will advance how Encore innovates in support of our meeting professional customers.”

Prior to Aetna, Flores spent 18 years at Allstate, developing teams and championing marketing campaigns. In her tenure there, she built the company’s multicultural marketing function, executing integrated marketing initiatives and building loyalty with Hispanic, African American, Asian and LGBTQ customers.

“The meetings industry is a relationship business,” said Flores. “There’s no better time than now for us to strengthen our partnerships and provide service excellence across the customer journey. I’m passionate about uncovering opportunities to build trusting connections with customers by ensuring we share the right message to the right audience at the right time, supporting every customer’s pursuit to ‘connect and inspire’ their audiences.”

Encore operates in more than 20 countries across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and Asia Pacific. Headquartered in Schiller Park, Ill., Encore partners with more than 2,100 hotels and venues worldwide. 

Corporate Events News caught up with Flores to find out more about her background and what excites her about joining the event industry.

What’s the first app you open in the morning and why? 

I probably shouldn’t admit it, but it’s my Outlook. I first want to see if I missed anything and run through my calendar for the day so that I can prepare. That’s quickly followed by CNN and WSJ to scan through the news and then Wordle. I find that completing the Wordle first thing helps me feel like I’ve accomplished something and kickstarts my brain.

What was the most impactful event experience in your career? 

It was being part of a former company’s annual sales conference. It was a 10,000+ attendee, multi-faceted, multi-day event that included a captivating mainstage, external speakers and entertainment, multiple educational breakout sessions and an enormous trade show. It brought together so many people across a diverse organization and pointed us all toward a common rallying cry. Most importantly, we experienced a range of emotions together – laughing harder than ever, debating tough business topics and at times shedding tears of company pride and a belief in what was possible. Events have the power to bring out emotions that I don’t think can be matched, and they make an imprint in our memories that last a lifetime.  

How will your new role as CMO contribute to Encore’s strategy to elevate the customer experience by elevating the team member experience?  

As a marketer and communicator, my role has always been to understand what motivates customers and match messaging and experiences to be as relevant as possible. My goal is to help our team take action off the rich insights and knowledge we have in a simple, approachable, yet consultative way that exemplifies the Encore brand.  

What resonates most with you about the event industry and events? 

For marketers, the world has become digital, short and fast-moving. It can be challenging to cut through the clutter and engage customers in a meaningful way through digital channels. Events give us the forum to create signature experiences to engage on a level that you can’t achieve with traditional or digital media vehicles. The engagement is personal, it’s real and it can’t be replicated. That’s why I’m excited.

What should trade show organizers and event producers look for in the coming year from Encore? 

You’ll see us focus relentlessly on service excellence and innovating along the customer journey.