February wasn’t just a month to celebrate Valentine’s Day and slog through the dog days of winter in some areas of the U.S., it also was a busy time for companies to hire new employees and promote from within.

PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, promoted Dave Newcorn to senior vice president, Digital & Data.

The newly created position allows PMMI to centralize its digital and audience resources under Newcorn with data, new product development, web site development and information technology all now falling under his purview.

The Cobb Galleria Centre and Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre welcome Susan Burchell as director of Food & Beverage.

In her new role, Burchell will provide strategic leadership and execution of the company’s food and beverage concepts.

AGAM has announced the appointment of Adam Beckett as CEO.

Beckett has assumed day-to-day leadership of the company and will spearhead strategies designed to grow the business and strengthen customer relationships.

Beckett is an exhibition industry veteran. Most recently, Beckett spent 20 years at Derse, a full service face-to- face marketing agency where he held senior leadership roles including president and CEO.

SMG, the operator of the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, recently welcomed Renee Browning as assistant general manager and promoted Ashley York to Director of Event Services at the 600,000-square-foot multipurpose facility.

With more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Browning joins the Convention Center from Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham, Ala., where she served as assistant director of Sales. In her new position, she will oversee sales initiatives between the Convention Center and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Conventions & Visitors Bureau.

Ashley York joined the SMG team as an event manager in 2012, working her way up the ranks to senior event manager in 2017.

In her new position as director of Event Services, she will lead a team of four event managers, oversee event planning processes and logistics for a variety of large-scale clients, and ensure the success of meetings and conventions hosted at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center.

The Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau (LCVB) has promoted Zack Davis to vice president of Destination Services.

He replaces Doris Sims, who retired from the position after 30.5 years of service.

In his new position, Davis will lead the CVB’s Destination Services and Housing team for Louisville’s booked meetings business.

He will also will to help retain convention groups, as well as increase their profile and attendance while in Louisville.

Taffy Event Strategies, a full-service event management firm, has added Jenn Ellek to its team of talented professionals.

As senior director of marketing, Ellek will bring decades of expertise in results-oriented campaign management to Taffy Event Strategies.

Prior to Taffy Event Strategies, Ellek worked for the National Confectioners Association (NCA) as the marketing lead for the Sweets & Snacks Expo.

The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) has named Miriam Chovanec as its senior international tourism sales manager.

Chovanec, who officially began her new position in January 2018, reports to Svetlana Yazovskikh, executive director of Global Tourism for the PHLCVB, and is responsible for the development and execution of international sales and marketing strategies throughout Europe, Scandinavia and South America.

Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) has appointed Tonya Almond as its vice president of Knowledge and Experience Design.

Almond will lead the events and education teams and will engage with its global audience to help PCMA evolve its education content and event experiences. She reports to Joyce Winnecke, PCMA’s chief content officer.

Almond has extensive knowledge of the association. She first served on the Greater Midwest Chapter Board and more recently has served on the PCMA Board of Directors.

Since 2014, Almond has served on several of PCMA’s committees including the Annual Meeting Program Committee, the Nominating Committee, Annual Giving Taskforce and the Foundation Dinner Taskforce (now Visionary Awards).

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