Dec 13, 2023
Like many event professionals, Stefanie Rowe did not follow a direct path into the hospitality and events industry. If anything, she imagined opening her own dance studio and performing company. While teaching dance classes post-graduation while serving at a local high-end restaurant inside a hotel, Rowe was recognized by a hospitality leader who noted her natural abilities in sales and negotiation and encouraged her to consider hospitality sales and marketing as a possible career.
“I was instantly drawn to relationship building, negotiating contracts, the fine details of a perfectly… more
Dec 11, 2023
An array of CVBs, hotels, event agencies and industry associations have been steadily hiring and promoting staff, as well as padding their executive teams as they anticipate a busy 2024.
InVision Communications
Full-service event marketing agency InVision Communications recently appointed 25-year event marketing and leadership veteran Angie Smith as its new CEO, effective Jan. 1.
Smith most recently served as head of experiential and field marketing at Atlassian, an InVision client. Previously, she spent more than three years at InVision as its group executive, strategy, a role in which… more
Nov 29, 2023
Freeman, a global events company, has revealed its CEO succession plan. Janet Dell, currently serving as the company’s president and COO, is set to step into the role of CEO, effective July 1, 2024, succeeding Bob Priest-Heck, who will retire after a remarkable 15-year tenure. He will continue as a member of Freeman’s board of directors.
Dell, who joined Freeman in 2018, has held various key positions within the company and currently oversees the execution of its long-term strategy on a global scale. Her leadership during the pandemic notably involved rehiring 95% of furloughed employees,… more
Nov 20, 2023
Corporate event-related organizations, particularly CVBs and industry associations, have been accelerating the pace of hiring this fall.
San Francisco Travel Association
San Francisco Travel Association tapped 35-year convention and tourism industry veteran Scott Beck as its new president and CEO. He succeeds Joe D’Alessandro, who will retire in December after nearly 18 years leading San Francisco’s official destination marketing organization.
Beck brings a wealth of knowledge and proven expertise in attracting events, meetings and international and domestic visitors to destinations to… more
Oct 23, 2023
Across the U.S. corporate event-related organizations are placing industry veterans at the helm of venues, event organizing and management companies and CVBs. Check them out.
Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) has appointed Steve Bagwell its new CEO. He will take the helm from outgoing CEO Tom Murray, who retires in November.
Now in his 28th year with the CRVA, Bagwell currently serves as vice president of venues, responsible for overseeing the management of the Charlotte Convention Center, Bojangles Coliseum and Ovens Auditorium, as… more
Oct 10, 2023
In 2023, Huong Nguyen, CEO and founder of Shiloh Events, celebrated 10 years in business as a full-service agency that specializes in managing large-scale corporate events for global brands. Established in 2013, Shiloh Events will produce 25 events in 2023 for a variety of clients, including Fujitsu, Hitachi, Sanford, Redis and Culture Amp — to name a few. Today, the company has 12 employees with people based in the Bay Area, Philadelphia, Austin, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles and San Diego.
With an MBA in marketing and more than 15 years of experience in the events sector, Nguyen has… more
Sep 26, 2023
The corporate event industry is continuing its strong hiring trajectory, with myriad industry professionals joining or moving up at event-related organizations, companies and venues throughout the U.S. Take a look!
Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority
The Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority (RSCVA) recently added two regional directors of convention sales: Christina Henshall and Misty Sparks representing Reno Tahoe’s group events business in the Northwest U.S. and the Midwest, respectively, responsible for soliciting and selling the Reno, Sparks and North Lake Tahoe… more
Sep 15, 2023
IMEX America is less than one month out. Are you prepped and ready for the global gathering for the business events industry? This year’s event runs Oct. 17-19 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Corporate Event News has the inside scoop on what you need to know about IMEX America 2023 — whether you are a first-timer or regular attendee.
Launched in 2011 in Las Vegas, IMEX America is produced by IMEX Group, which also produces IMEX Frankfurt. Last year, IMEX America drew more than 4,000 buyers from 69 countries and more than 3,300 exhibiting companies from 180+ countries,… more
Sep 14, 2023
Combining more than 75 years of trade show and conference industry experience, Wayne Crawford and Jim Forlenza have formed Cobalt Event Studios, a new company that serves not-for-profit associations, independent organizers, corporate events and exhibiting companies. The company provides strategic insight and consulting to optimize event sales, efficiencies and planning.
Crawford and Forlenza have integrated their expertise and knowledge in sales maximization, business development, strategic planning, event technology platforms, event creation, international event management, M&A and… more
Sep 08, 2023
Who are the up-and-comers that are making an impact on their own organizations, industry associations or the event industry overall? What do they view as the industry’s biggest challenges? What are their hopes for the future?
To find out, Corporate Event News is launching a new series featuring interviews with influential young professionals representing every aspect of the industry, from event marketers to suppliers, to find out their take on the industry’s biggest strengths and weaknesses.
In this first one, we feature Nikki Bibbero, owner of Bibbero Meetings and Events.
Tell us about… more
Partner Voices
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Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is more