Corporate event-related organizations are continuing their growth trajectories by launching new departments headed up by experienced leaders, promoting staff and welcoming new team members. Take a look! 

Choose Chicago 

Choose Chicago recently bolstered its leadership team with key appointments and a promotion. Eric Kincaid, who has been on the organization’s sales team for two years, was promoted to vice president of sales, and Lisa Nucci and Tara Welch were welcomed as chief marketing officer (CMO) and’s first-ever chief of staff, respectively. 

Formerly associate vice president of sales, Kincaid joined Choose Chicago in 2021 and, since then, has played a leading role in recruiting numerous new clients and securing the Democratic National Convention for August 2024. He has more than a decade of experience working in sales at destination marketing organizations and hotels, previously serving as a national account director at Destination DC. In his new role, Kincaid will fill a key leadership position on the sales team and will work to execute Choose Chicago’s business plan and achieve organizational goals. 

Bringing more than 15 years of experience to her new role, Nucci boasts a background in sports, cultural and non-profit organizations as well as creative agencies. Most recently, she served as chief creative strategy officer at the Chicago Architecture Center, and prior to that, was executive director of marketing for the Chicago Bulls. As CMO, Nucci will be tasked with leading Choose Chicago’s strategic marketing initiatives across the organization to attract leisure and business visitors as well as meetings and events to Chicago.  

A veteran operations leader with more than 20 years of experience in both New York City and her native Chicago, including an extensive background in operations, project management and program leadership, Welch most recently served as director of program operations at Global Cities, Inc., a program of Bloomberg Philanthropies. Prior to her career in operations, she spent 15 years as an educator with Chicago Public Schools. As chief of staff, she will be responsible for managing and implementing special initiatives and serving as a strategic advisor to President and CEO Lynn Osmond. 

Huntington Place

Detroit’s Huntington Place, managed by ASM Global, tapped Gloria Redmond to lead the venue’s new guest experience department as its senior manager. Bringing more than 20 years of experience in customer service, management and hospitality in non-profit, food service, retail, financial services and higher education to her new role, she is tasked with providing overall direction, coordination and evaluation of customer satisfaction at Huntington Place.

Redmond is also the founder and executive director of Detroit’s “Dope Black Business Owners,” which works to support entrepreneurs of color with better employee training and consumer marketing strategies to bridge the perceived customer service gaps in black businesses. 

Massachusetts Convention Center Authority  

The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) hired Herschel Herndon as chief diversity officer, a role in which he will make diversity a priority for the organization in developing its workforce, working environment, regional convention industry partnerships and procurement strategies.  

Herndon most recently served as chief diversity officer for Thrivent, a Fortune 500 not-for-profit financial services organization, and since 2012 has led a consulting firm offering strategic guidance focused on global diversity and inclusion, market development and community engagement. He is a well-respected diversity and inclusion thought leader with more than two decades of experience in a number of different industries.  

Momentus Technologies  

Global venue and event management technology leader Momentus Technologies has strengthened its leadership team with the addition of two experienced industry professionals: Joel Sackett as chief product officer (CPO) and James Hughes as chief technology officer (CTO). 

Bringing a wealth of experience to his new role, Sackett previously oversaw a diverse portfolio of 10 product lines at the higher education student success and workflow platform Ellucian. As CPO, Sackett will assume responsibility for product management, including the optimization of user experience and defining the product strategy. 

Hughes brings an impressive track record of managing all aspects of software delivery over the past 20 years, with extensive experience encompassing development, support, product management, integrations and security operations. Prior to joining Momentus, he served as the CTO of Therapy Brands. As CTO at Momentus, Hughes will collaborate with the product and engineering teams to ensure the consistent delivery of exceptional software solutions, prioritizing customer satisfaction and safety. 

Visit SLO Cal  

Visit SLO CAL, the countywide destination marketing and management organization for San Luis Obispo County, Calif., welcomed Tony Turretto as vice president of community engagement and advocacy. He brings more than a decade of public affairs and corporate communications experience to the role. 

A local post-9/11 veteran, Turretto served as a senior public affairs specialist for the US Navy. He most recently worked as a communications manager at Cal Poly, where he worked to develop and execute communications strategies and tactics while managing its public affairs and communications internship program. 

Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront 

Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront has appointed 18-year hospitality veteran Jeff Thompson as general manager, tasked with overseeing the 951-room hotel featuring 116,000 square feet of versatile event space, three onsite restaurants, a to-go market and a pool bar. 

Joining the property from Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach, where he served as general manager since 2019, Thompson has held director of rooms positions at several Hyatt hotels, including Hyatt Regency Chicago, Hyatt Regency McCormick Place and Hyatt Regency Indianapolis.

Nanolumens

Leading LED design and manufacturer Nanolumens recently strengthened its executive leadership team with the appointment of strategic financial leader Rob Lamb as its new CFO, responsible for leading the company’s finance, accounting, international procurement and information technology functions.

Lamb joins Nanolumens from Hodinkee, Inc, a New York-based e-commerce and media company specializing in the luxury watch industry, where he also served as CFO. Prior to that, he spent nearly 20 years with Turner Broadcasting, where he served in a variety of finance roles across the organization before concluding his career with Turner as the vice president of finance for Turner Sports, Turner Studios and Content Distribution. 

Terramar DMC 

Terramar, a DMC Network Company, has grown its global corporate team with the promotion of Julia Trejo to vice president of business development. Based in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, she will work to continue to expand the strong relationships within the global market throughout destinations in the U.S., Mexico and Panama. An employee of Terramar since 2006, she has worked in an array of sales and business development roles, most recently serving as director of business development.

Visit Salt Lake 

Visit Salt Lake (VSL) recently named Krista Parry chief development officer, a newly established role tasked with pioneering new models for growth to support a more robust visitor economy in Salt Lake. This encompasses innovating and diversifying VSL’s memberships and partnerships and fostering strategic alliances and authentic relationships to deepen and expand VSL’s community impact.  

A 20-year tourism industry veteran, Parry brings a wealth of expertise to her new position, including leadership and senior roles at CRUDE, POWDR and Park City Mountain Resort.

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