People News: Flurry of Hires Across Variety of Trade Show Sectors

November 7, 2017
Desiree Hanson

The fall kicked off with a flurry of new hires across a variety of trade show sectors, including show organizing companies, display and contractor companies and convention and visitor bureaus.

Clarion UX (formerly Urban Expositions) named Desiree Hanson vice president of Fashion Events overseeing the Womenswear in Nevada (WWIN) portfolio. She reports to UX CEO, Greg Topalian.

In her new role, Hanson will oversee all sales, marketing and management functions for the semi-annual WWIN womenswear apparel trade show held at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

She also will work closely with former WWIN Show Director Chad Timney who has moved into a consultant role with the show.

The Spokane Public Facilities District (District) named current Spokane Convention Center General Manager, Stephanie Curran, as incoming CEO.

Kevin Twohig, District CEO, announced back in September that he will be retiring at the end of 2017. The District engaged Venue Solutions Group to lead a national search process and recently conducted a series of candidate interviews.

Curran, who has been an employee of the District since 2003, has served in many roles, ranging from event supervisor to assistant general manager of the Spokane Convention Center and INB Performing Arts Center to being named general manager in 2015.

Detroit-based Display Group recently added Andy Olis as chief operating officer (COO).   

Olis rejoins Display Group after spending 10 years in the professional audio-visual industry in various management and operations roles.

Olis has held several leadership roles in his career and has been successful in developing and achieving goals by implementing efficient sales and field best practices with clear performance measurements.

Previously, Olis was the general manager at Display Group and is being welcomed back with open arms for his homecoming.

TradeTec Skyline, a full-service B2B exhibit house specializing in trade show displays and services is pleased to announce the recent expansion of their project team:

  • Krista McCloud, who joined TradeTec as an account coordinator in October 2015 has been promoted to the role of account manager.
  • Haley Doss has joined TradeTec as an account coordinator.
  • Victoria Scholly has joined TradeTec as an account coordinator.

Visit Baltimore, the official sales and marketing organization for Baltimore, welcomed Kireem Swinton to the convention sales department as director of convention sales development, Mid-Atlantic region and tradeshows.

Swinton brings a wealth of industry knowledge and strong passion for promoting Baltimore to his new role.

He will focus on sales development for citywide conventions from the Mid-Atlantic region, with an emphasis on new business development from the trade show market.

Sue Holle joined Hargrove as a director, National Accounts. She is responsible for operational oversight for all national trade show business, working with the internal sales team to introduce industry- leading technology and best practices to our clients, as well as developing new business relationships.

MC2 hired on Aaron Miller as executive creative director.

In this role, he will work closely with the company’s chief strategy officer, national design director, designers and account executives to inspire, lead and motivate teams to create breakthrough face-to-face brand experiences.

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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.