Meeting Professionals International (MPI) announces its 2008-2009 Board of Directors, MPI Volunteer Chairs, MPI Foundation Board of Trustees, and MPI Foundation Canada Board of Trustees for the fiscal year July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009…
Meeting Professionals International (MPI) announces its 2008-2009 Board of Directors, MPI Volunteer Chairs, MPI Foundation Board of Trustees, and MPI Foundation Canada Board of Trustees for the fiscal year July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009.
Bruce MacMillan, MPI President and CEO commented: “On behalf of the MPI global community, I am excited to welcome this new volunteer leadership team. In 2007-2008 our volunteer leaders began the activation of MPI’s new vision of building a rich global meeting industry community. This year’s leaders are poised to move forward each facet of this dynamic evolution.”
Larry Luteran, vice president – group sales and industry relations for Hilton Hotels Corporation will assume the role as the 2008-2009 chair of the MPI Board of Directors. Rita Plaskett, CMP, CMM, and president of ASSET will lead the 2008-2009 MPI Foundation Board of Trustees.
“Larry and Rita bring an incredible wealth of industry experience and MPI Community service to their leadership roles. I personally thank them for their energy and commitment, and look forward to a year of partnership as we work together to build even greater success for our members," added Mr. MacMillan.
Mr. Luteran served as a member of the MPI Board of Directors from 2002-2005. He began service on the MPI executive committee in 2005, and was elected chairman-elect in 2007. Before taking his current position with Hilton in 2000, Mr. Luteran served as regional vice president of sales and marketing for the company’s Southeast and South Central regions. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Institute of Business Travel Management.
Ms. Plaskett has been in the meeting industry for over 20 years. She is one of a small group of Canadians to hold both the CMP and CMM designations. A few years ago, Ms. Plaskett created her own firm, “ASSET.” She is a past chairwoman of the MPI Foundation Canada, and was awarded both MPI Planner of the Year as well as the President’s Award from the MPI Toronto Chapter.
Effective today, the volunteer leaders listed below assumed leadership roles to build a global meeting industry community:
2008-2009 MPI Board of Directors Executive Committee:
- Chairman: Larry Luteran, Vice President, Group Sales and Industry Relations, Hilton Hotels Corporation
- Chairwoman-Elect: Ann Godi, CMP, President, Benchmarc360, Inc.
- Vice Chairman of Administration: Eric Rozenberg, CMP, CMM, President, Ince & Tive
- Vice Chairman of Finance: Sebastien Tondeur, CEO, Corporate Division, MCI
- Vice Chairwoman of Member Services: Alexandra Wagner, Director of Corporate Meetings and Events, SunTrust Bank
- Immediate Past Chairwoman: Angie Pfeifer, CMM, Assistant Vice President, Corporate Meetings, Travel & Incentives, Investors Group Financial Services, Inc.
- Ex-Officio: Bruce MacMillan, CA, President & CEO
2008-2009 MPI Board of Directors Members:
- Marge Anderson, Associate Director, Energy Center of Wisconsin
- Matt Brody, CHSP, Director of Marketing, JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort and Spa
- Luca Favetta, Director Global Events EMEA – APA, SAP Swisse SA
- Caroline Hill, Operations Director, Universal CIT Ltd
- Kevin Hinton, Principal, hinton+grusich
- Kevin Kirby, Senior Director of Sales, Hard Rock International
- Karen Massicotte, CMP, CMM, BA, Director of Operations, PRIME Strategies
- Carole McKellar, MA, CMM, MCIPD, Managing Director, Resources for Business Group
- Patty Reger, CMM, Senior Meeting Manager, Johnson & Johnson Sales and Logistics Company, LLC
- David Scypinski, Senior VP Industry Relations, Starwood Hotels & Resorts
- Ole Sorang, Director of Regional Marketing – Nordic Countries, Rezidor SAS Hospitality
- Carl Winston, Director, Hospitality and Tourism Management Program, San Diego State University
- Europe Middle East and Africa Advisory Council Representative: Paul Cunningham, President & CEO, IIMC International Information Management Corporation
- MPI Foundation Chair: Rita Plaskett, CMP, CMM, President, ASSET
- International Chapter Leadership Committee Representative: Katherine Overkamp, CMP, Manager, Special Events & Client Hospitality, US Airways
- Legal Counsel: Jonathan T. Howe, Esq., President/Senior Partner, Howe & Hutton, Ltd.
2008-2009 MPI Volunteer Chairs:
- Audit/Finance Committee: Sebastian Tondeur, CEO, Corporate Division, MCI
- Awards and Recognition Task Force: Hattie Hill, CMM, CEO, HHE, Inc.
- Brand Strategy Advisory Council: Michel Couturier, President, Marketing Challenges Intl. Inc.
- Community Membership Advisory Council: Erin Tench, CMP, CMM, President, Hyland Events
- Content Advisory Council: Mariela McIlwraith, CMP, CMM, Dir. Of Conference Services, Conferences & Accommodation at University of British Columbia
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Task Force: Marge Anderson, Associate Director, Energy Center of Wisconsin
- Europe Middle East and Africa Advisory Council: Paul Cunningham, President & CEO, IIMC International Information Management Corporation
- Future of Meetings Task Force: Cynthia D’Aoust, Senior Vice President Consolidation, Maritz Travel Company
- Governance/Nominating Committee: Angie Pfeifer, CMM, Assistant Vice President, Corporate Meetings, Travel & Incentives, Investors Group Financial Services, Inc.,
- International Chapter Leadership Committee: Michael Owen, Managing Partner, EventGenuity, LLC
- Marketplace Advisory Council: Jordan Clark, CMP, Vice President of Sales, Harrah’s Entertainment
- Meeting Executive Advisory Council: Angie Pfeifer, CMM, Assistant Vice President, Corporate Meetings, Travel & Incentives, Investors Group Financial Services, Inc.
- Student Faculty Advisory Council: Mary Davar, CMP, CMM, MBA, Regional Manager, Meeting Planning and Travel, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals
2008-2009 MPI Foundation Board of Trustees Executive Committee
- Chairwoman: Rita D. Plaskett, CMP, CMM, President, ASSET
- Chairwoman-Elect: Margaret A. Moynihan, CMP, Director, Deloitte LLP
- Vice Chairman-Finance: Ken Sanders, Executive Vice President, VER
- Vice Chairwoman-Projects: Allison Kinsley, CMP, CMM, Chief Meeting Architect, Kinsley & Associates, LLC
- Vice Chairman-Development: David W. Johnson, President/CEO, Aimbridge Hospitality, LP
- Vice Chairman-Marketing: Tony Lorenz, CMM, President, ProActive, Inc.
- Immediate Past Chairman: Michael Beardsley, CEO, Inn Fluent, LLC
- Ex-Officio: Katie Callahan-Giobbi, Executive Vice President, MPI Foundation and Chief Business Architect
2008-2009 MPI Foundation Board of Trustee Members:
- Jennifer Brown, Partner, Meeting Site Resource
- David Callahan, Senior Manager Corporate Event Services, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
- Melanie Cook, Director-Corporate Sales, Coast Hotels & Resorts
- Vito Curalli, Managing Director of Sales-Canada, Hilton Canada
- Michael Deitemeyer, President, Omni Hotels
- Patrick Delaney, CITE, CMM, Managing Director, Ovation Global
- David DuBois, CMP, CAE, President & CEO, Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Anne Hamilton, Vice President-Resort Sales & Services, Walt Disney World Resort
- Richard Harper, CMP, Vice President- Sales & Marketing, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
- Hattie Hill, CMM, Chief Executive Officer, Hattie Hill Enterprises, Inc.
- Vincent LaRuffa, Vice President Resort Sales & Marketing, Universal Orlando Resort
- Catherine McKenna, CMP, CMM, National Sales Manager-Midwest Region, Visit Charlotte
- Randy Miller, Vice President-Sales, Gaylord Hotels
- Kevin Olsen, Senior Partner, One Smooth Stone
- Lise Puckorius, CMP, Senior Vice President-Convention & Trade Show Services, SmithBucklin Corporation
- Kathleen Ratcliffe, President, St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission
- Lesly Rehaut, CMP, CMM, Regional Director of Group Sales, Millennium Hotels & Resorts
- Stephen Revetria, Vice President-Sales and Marketing, San Francisco Giants
- Colleen Rickenbacher, CMP, CSEP, CPC, President, Colleen Rickenbacher, Inc.
- Gus Vonderheide, Vice President of Sales-Group, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
- Don Welsh, President & CEO, Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Jonathan T. Howe, Esq. President/Senior Partner, Howe & Hutton, Ltd.
2008-2009 MPI Foundation Canada Board of Trustees:
- Chairman: Vito Curalli, Managing Director of Sales-Canada, Hilton Canada
- Chairman-Elect: Joe Nishi, Senior Director of Global Sales, Starwood Hotels & Resorts
- Immediate Past Chairwoman: Helen Van Dongen, CMP, CMM, Director, Global Conference Planning, RBC Capital Markets
- Doreen Ashton Wagner, President, Greenfield Services Inc.
- Stephen Dempsey, General Manager, Meetings & Incentive Travel – Rogers
- Frank DiRocco, Director National Sales, Delta Hotels
- Janet Jakobsen, CMP, Professor Tourism Hospitality, Niagara College
- Marcia Lyons, General Manager, Calgary TELUS Convention Centre
- Helen Moberg, Executive Director-Sales, Destination Halifax
- Susan Prohpet, MC&IT Manager, Destination Quebec/Tourisme Quebec
- Janet A. Victor, CMP, Principal, Eventives Conference & Event Management
- Katie Callahan-Giobbi, Executive Vice President, MPI Foundation & Chief Business Architect, Meeting Professionals International
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