Mar 01, 2023
Pre-teen girls certainly have a lot of things on their minds but hatching a business—let alone brainstorming best marketing practices for its success—ordinarily aren’t some of them. Cathy Schlosberg, however, was an extraordinary girl, and those were the exact thoughts swirling through her 12-year-old brain when she and her brother came up with the idea to launch a catering business servicing events for their parents and parents’ friends.
“That’s where my career in marketing and hospitality began,” Schlosberg said of the catering operation in her hometown of Framingham, Mass. “We called… more
Feb 24, 2023
Taking place each February, Black History Month is an ideal time to honor and celebrate the achievements of Black people in the events industry and beyond and renew our commitment to continue fostering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
Corporate Event News checked in with six industry leaders to find out how their organizations support the Black community and get their advice on championing DEI.
Desirée Knight, Senior Director, Meetings and Events, American Psychological Association; 2023 Chair of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)
What tips would you share… more
Feb 22, 2023
Oftentimes, the careers we imagine for ourselves as children aren’t necessarily what we end up pursuing as adults. Ask Phil Evans about his path into the culinary arts, and he’ll tell you a similar story.“My parents were the driving force for me to get into the culinary industry,” Evans explains. “I actually wanted to be a schoolteacher, but I grew up in the kitchen cooking with my grandmother and then my mother, so it came to me naturally. I inevitably fell in love with cooking.”Now, as executive chef at Sodexo Live!, Evans boasts an extensive background in fine dining, catering and… more
Feb 14, 2023
The meetings industry continues to demonstrate a rosy outlook for the year ahead as event-related organizations across the U.S. announce a bevy of new hires and an array of leadership promotions. Check them out!
Visit Orlando
Visit Orlando recently named 25-year hospitality industry veteran Mario J. Bass as its new COO, responsible for overseeing internal operations and leading and implementing the organization’s strategic initiatives, strategic plans and annual business plans.
Bass most recently served as the chief sales officer for Visit San Antonio. During his five-year tenure, he… more
Jan 27, 2023
Tarsus Group, parent company of Corporate Event News and its sister publication, TSNN, is growing its team with two new hires. Long-time trade show journalist Danica Tormohlen has joined as Vice President of Content for Tarsus Media (encompassing TSNN and Corporate Event News), and Bridgett Maddux has joined as National Sales Manager for Tarsus Media.
“I have known Danica for a long time, and she is bar none one of the most passionate people covering the trade show industry,” said Tarsus Media President Rachel Wimberly.
She added, “We are very fortunate that she will be a part of our team,… more
Jan 24, 2023
The corporate meetings industry is moving full steam ahead into 2023, with organizations far and wide continuing to welcome new leaders and fill newly created positions with experienced professionals. Here’s the latest people news you need to know!
Radisson Blu Mall of America
Radisson Blu Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., has tapped 36-year hospitality industry veteran Alberto Abreu as its new general manager, charged with providing leadership and strategic direction to all areas of the hotel. He most recently served as general manager of the Ennismore–21c Museum Hotel Oklahoma City… more
Jan 16, 2023
Leading hospitality partner Sodexo Live! has tapped proven international business leader Belinda Oakley as its new CEO, North America. Bringing two decades of foodservice management experience to her new role, Oakley is responsible for leading more than 20,000 team members at more than 150 partner venues throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Oakley replaces outgoing CEO Steve Pangburn, who will stay on with the company to help with the transition in an advisory capacity through the end of March 2023. Pangburn is stepping down in order to spend more time with his family in France, where he will… more
Jan 09, 2023
As the corporate events industry kicks off 2023, event-related organizations across the country are welcoming new leaders and promoting hard-working staff as they prepare for a year of growth, increasing demand and continued post-pandemic recovery. Take a look!
Destination DC
Destination DC (DDC), the official destination marketing organization for Washington, D.C., recently appointed a new executive and senior staff to its leadership team.
Danielle Davis has been promoted to vice president of communications after joining the organization as director of communications in 2015. She… more
Dec 29, 2022
Straight out of college, Kelly Gleeson Smith knew she had fallen into her dream career after landing her first job in “meeting connection sales” at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort in San Antonio, Texas. From the start, she reveled in what she described as the “power of meetings” that affect so many people.
“It was like a pebble falling into the water, and then the centrifugal rings just continue to expand,” Gleeson Smith said. “I thought, ‘Wow, this is an amazing industry.’”
She became very passionate about face-to-face interactions and where her career could go, traveling the world… more
Dec 15, 2022
Starting a new job in a difficult business climate can be challenging enough, but what about during the height of a global pandemic? That’s exactly where Claude Molinari found himself when he took the helm of Visit Detroit as its new president and CEO in January of 2021 as the global events industry was reeling from the impacts of COVID-19. A self-proclaimed extrovert by nature, Molinari’s outgoing and positive attitude certainly came in handy as he worked tirelessly to guide the CVB and its team through one of the biggest challenges travel and tourism has ever faced.
“It is important to… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
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