People News: MMBC’s New Co-Chair, PCMA’s COO and More Fall Hiring News

October 8, 2020

From appointments to awards to new hires and promotions, this fall is keeping us on our toes for people announcements. Take a look:

Meetings Mean Business Coalition unanimously selected Michael Massari, chief sales officer for Caesars Entertainment, as its next co-chair in September. Effective January 2021, he will join Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company, in guiding the coalition and the meetings industry through the continued recovery from the pandemic.

PCMA has appointed Bruce MacMillan to the position of chief operating officer, effective Sept. 2. He was previously the organization’s chief marketing officer and brings more than 30 years of experience to his new position. He was also the architect behind PCMA’s Recovery Discovery initiative.

Jeff Hughes was named chief operating officer for Pittsburgh-based NEP Group, a technical production company for live sports and entertainment events. He was most recently with FOX Networks’ Digital Consumer Group, where he was president and COO.

Trumbull, Conn.-based Clarion Events has promoted Liz Irving, who's been with the company four years, to executive vice president and head of marketing, technology and customer experience. She will lead the company’s virtual product team on product development, integration, customer journey and audience engagement, as well as oversee new digital product offerings including virtual product showcases.

International Market Centers announced a new organizational structure for its leasing and leadership teams last month. Effective Sept. 11, Dorothy Belshaw and Scott Eckman are promoted into new executive leadership roles; and Ryan Mahoney, Julie Messner, Terence Morris and Caron Stover expand their category-specific leasing responsibilities across all IMC’s campuses. Belshaw is chief customer and marketing officer, also having executive oversight of LightFair, the world’s largest architectural and commercial lighting trade show; and Eckman will now oversee all permanent showrooms and temporary tradeshow leasing as chief revenue officer.

International Housewares Association named seven new directors, with three-year terms that began Oct. 1 that run through Sept. 30, 2023. They are: Kim Cole, CEO, Gleener Inc.; Kristine Malkoski, business unit CEO, foods, Newell Brands; Tom McMahon, president, Jura Inc.; Robert Michelson, president and CCO, Bradshaw Home; Keith Mirchandani, principal and CEO, Tristar Products.; Michael Otterman, president and CEO, Lodge Cast Iron; and Luke Peters, president and CEO, NewAir. Also elected were new board officers: Chairman William Endres, president, Select Brands; Vice Chair/Chair Elect Yvette Laugier, managing director, Peugeot Saveurs North America; and Treasurer Steve Greenspon, CEO, Honey-Can-Do International.

Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau Chief Operating Officer Rolando Aedo will join Destination International Foundation’s Board of Trustees, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering destinations globally to excel through innovation and resource incubation.

Claudia Stephenson has been appointed managing director for London-based [INVNT GROUP], EMEA region. She was most recently with Freeman and brings two decades of experience to her new position.

Fernando Gorbarán, president and CEO of Messe Frankfurt Argentina, was selected as one of 15 most influential leaders in Latin America’s meetings industry by Latinamerica Meetings Magazine. With 20 years of experience in the sector, he has led the Argentine subsidiary of Messe Frankfurt GMbH since 2003 and served as regional director for South America since 2010.

Venue management company Spectra has brought on David DiSalvo as director of sales for the 102,000-square-foot Owensboro Convention Center in Kentucky. Most recently, he served as director of sales at Kalahari Resort in Mount Pocono, Penn.

Have more People announcements? Send them to kogletree@tsnn.com.

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Partner Voices
Dallas already boasts 35,000 hotel rooms, award-winning global cuisine, and a walkable downtown. But we are just getting started. Visit Dallas is thrilled to announce that the city of Dallas is doubling down with a massive new convention center and entertainment district. Featuring 800,000 square feet of exhibit area, 260,000 square feet of meeting rooms, and 170,000 square feet of ballroom. The center will connect business travelers with dining and shopping options in the popular Cedars District means more places to get down to business, and even more ways to unwind. “Dallas is already a great meetings and conventions destination, with the accessibility of two major airports, affordable labor, and an outstanding hotel product,” said D. Bradley Kent, Visit Dallas senior vice president and chief sales officer. “The new center and Convention Center District will enhance Dallas’ competitive position and are exactly what our customers’ need and have been asking for." What’s New – AT&T Discovery District Located in the heart of Downtown Dallas, this new district on the AT&T corporate campus is tailor-made for groups of all sizes. It boasts a multi-sensory experience, including outdoor event space, the AT&T Theater, and multiple dining outlets including JAXON Beer Garden and The Exchange, a bustling food hall. Hotels Coming Soon Names like the JW Marriott (Downtown), lnterContinental Dallas (Uptown), and Hotel Swexan (Uptown) are adding luxury amenities and bountiful event spaces. The projects will debut in 2023 and beyond. JW Marriott This new, 15-story, 283-room hotel will open in the heart of the city’s downtown Arts District this year. The property features a 25,000-square-foot grand ballroom, as well as a spa, restaurant, lobby bar, fitness center, and a rooftop pool deck and bar. InterContinental Dallas  Located in Cityplace Tower in Uptown, InterContinental Dallas will feature sweeping panoramic views of the Dallas skyline. Guests will enjoy spacious, high-end rooms and amenities, including more than 21,000 square feet of event space.   Hotel Swexan Hotel Swexan, a new, 22-story luxury property, is rising in Uptown’s Harwood District and will make its mark on the Dallas skyline. Opening this year, it is a sculptural building with cantilevered upper floors, as well as a 75-foot rooftop infinity-edge swimming pool and a hidden underground lounge.