Listen to Audio
Megan Conway
Travel Portland has named Conway as president and CEO, promoting her from her earlier role as chief strategy officer. She steps into the role following Jeff Miller’s retirement, who served in the role for 19 years. Conway joined the team in 2010 at vice president, communications and public relations, before moving into the executive leadership team in 2017. She has played an integral role in Travel Portland through her time there, including during the challenging pandemic years, demonstrating her ability to deliver results, drive innovative strategy and comprehensively understand the industry.
Lucits Dean
Atlanta’s Hotel Granada appoints Dean as director of sales. She brings over 17 years of hospitality experience, having held several leadership roles throughout her career, including as director of sales for EVEN Hotels, and sales manager and director of sales and marketing for Crown Plaza Houston, Hyatt Regency North Houston and several Holiday Inn properties throughout the Houston Area. Her work has contributed to several industry awards, including the Most Profitable Business Award and the Creative Business Award in 2022 and the Event Space Award in 2023.
Kathy Haley
The Metro Toronto Convention Center (MTCC) appoints Haley as its new president and CEO. She brings extensive experience in leading successful multimillion-dollar infrastructure projects and ranks among the top 2% of experts in the customer experience field worldwide. She most recently served as the chief customer experience officer for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) where she played a significant role in improvements to the customer experience at numerous airports in the region. Haley was also the inaugural president of North America’s first dedicated airport-rail system, the award-winning Union Pearson (UP) Express, operated by Metrolinx in Toronto. She is the first woman to hold the role of president and CEO at MTCC.
Mauricio Patino
Patino joins the team at Velas Resorts as regional sales director for meetings and incentives. He brings over two decades of experience in sales, marketing, hotel operations and business development and a track record of success. Throughout his career, Patino has worked with leading hotel brands and travel organizations, including the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, Dolce Hotels & Resorts and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, and consistently delivered innovative strategies that drive growth, enhance guest experiences and elevate hotel operations. He is a member of the Society for Incentive Travel (SITE) and will serve as president of the Florida and Caribbean Chapter in 2025.
Christine Thompson
Thompson assumes the role of sales director for the Washington, D.C. region at Visit Denver. She brings over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, and in her new role, will draw on her extensive expertise to promote Denver as a premier destination for meetings and conventions to the Washington D.C. metro area, where she will be based. She will oversee sales initiatives, engage with clients and generate leads for hotels across metro Denver. Thompson most recently served as associate director of global sales with Hyatt Hotels Corporation.
Kelly Miller
Discover Crystal River Florida, the CVB for Citrus County, promotes Miller to destination experience specialist. She will now work to further enhance marketing and communication efforts and partner relations. She will lead Discover Crystal River Florida’s FAM Tour Program and will ensure all visitor aspects of Citrus County are promoted and that partners are given every opportunity to ensure their products and services are supported by Discover Crystal River Florida’s marketing efforts to increase total economic impact in the region and ensure planners assessing the region have access to all the information they need to plan an outstanding meeting.
Alissa O’Briant
Renowned Santa Cruz golf resort CordeValle appoints O’Briant as director of sales and marketing. She brings over 20 years of experience in the luxury hospitality industry and will work to further enhance the resort’s luxury offerings and deepen its relationship with members, guests and the local community. She previously served as director of sales and marketing at Bernardus Lodge and Spa in Carmel Valley, where she played a significant role in elevating the resort’s brad and driving significant revenue growth.
Stuart Evans
Grand Hyatt Scottsdale appoints Evans as director of sales and marketing. He brings over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry and extensive experience in sales leadership, strategic marketing and revenue growth. He most recently served as vice president of sales at Visit Phoenix, and earlier spent 11 years of his career in leadership roles for both Marriott International and Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. Most recently, he oversaw sales and marketing for Hyatt Regency San Francisco Embarcadero, and is known for his action-oriented, results-driven leadership style. In 2019, he was the Sales Leader finalist for Hyatt, and was one of a few dozen sales leaders hand-selected for Hyatt’s 2023 General Manager development program.
Brad Barnett
Davidson Hospitality Group appoints Barnett as senior vice president of sales for its lifestyle operating vertical, Pivot. He brings over 25 years of experience, most recently serving as senior vice president of sales and marketing for HRI Loding, where he oversaw sales, marketing and revenue management strategies for a $230 million portfolio consisting of 25 hotels. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated expertise in implementing profitable revenue strategies, developing and executing sales initiatives and penetrating strategic market segments.
Sandrine Boutin
Boutin joins The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands as director of sales and marketing. She brings over 24 years of experience in travel, hospitality and ultra-luxury, having held leadership roles with globally renowned brands, including Soneva, The St. Regis Bali and AMAN. In her new role, she will lead the commercial team, including sales, marketing and reservations, while overseeing strategy and direction for sales and marketing to ensure the resort’s representation in key market segments.
Read More: Smart Moves at Hilton Anaheim, INNOV8 Meetings + Events and More,
This post was originally published on here
