People News: Suppliers, Show Management Companies Grow Their Rosters

April 8, 2016

The first quarter of 2016 saw a busy hiring period, with companies ranging from audio-visual to for-profit show management to convention and visitors bureaus.

Surf Expo, the largest and longest-running boardsports and beach/resort lifestyle trade show in the world, has named Rod Tomlinson as sales manager for the Surf Category of the show. He is replacing Ryan Nettleton.

Tomlinson was most recently a sales executive for Interbike, the largest bicycle trade event in North America, also owned and operated by Emerald Expositions.

“Surf Expo is excited to bring Rod Tomlinson to our sales team," said Roy Turner, Surf Expo vice president and show director.

He added, "Rod’s background in sales combined with his knowledge and passion for surf makes him the perfect fit. Rod will be working out of our San Juan Capistrano office, close to many of our Surf category clients.”

Meet Minneapolis, Convention and Visitors Association, has hired Morgan Natzke to join its destination sales team as a sales account executive.

Natzke brings more than 8 years of experience in the hospitality industry to the job, serving most recently as the executive meetings manager at the Marquette Hotel in Minneapolis.

In her new role at Meet Minneapolis, Natzke will promote and sell Minneapolis as a premier destination for conventions and meetings, primarily handling association and corporate accounts headquartered east of the Mississippi River with 10-200 peak room nights.

Colette Fairchild, CEM, CMP, has joined FirstSource Events, and its parent company, International Conference Development LLC.

As event director, she will play an integral role in the development of a series of new and existing hosted buyer events, networking conferences and tradeshows.

Fairchild brings more than 25 years of experience in several different industries, including pet, dental, beauty, agricultural and pharmaceutical.

SmartSource Computer & Audio Visual Rentals has brought on three new employees.

Laura A. Longo joined SmartSource as account executive in the New York region.  She will be responsible for developing new business opportunities in the Business Solutions Channel, including the Entertainment, Legal and Staffing general business rentals verticals.

Mark A. Decker also was added to the SmartSource team as an account executive, serving in the District of Columbia metropolitan area. He will be responsible for driving new business opportunities across the trade shows, professional conference, and meeting and events markets.

Thomas Sentell also will join the SmartSource team as an account executive, serving as an in the Los Angeles region. He will be responsible for working with clients across the trade show and event organizer markets.

John S. Henderson has joined the Fixation Marketing team in the newly created role of vice president Industry Relations & Strategy.

Henderson brings to Fixation - and Fixation’s clients - an extensive background in trade association management with a particular expertise in developing and enhancing member outreach and education.

Most recently, Henderson spent 7 years at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) as vice president, Education, Training and Professional Development.

Jan Tonkin, managing director of Auckland-based The Conference Company, will take up the presidency of the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers.

Tonkin was elected at the association's annual General Assembly in Cape Town in February, and takes over from outgoing President Michel Neijmann for a two-year term.

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.