Meet the Board of Directors |
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SECOND VICE PRESIDENT
Robert E. Desautels, CMP
Senior Manager, Convention Services
Indianapolis CVA
E-mail: bdesautels@visitindy.com
Bio
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DIRECTOR
Rhonda Eaton, CMP
Event Services Manager
Reno-Sparks Convention Center
E-Mail: Reaton@rscva.com
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DIRECTOR
Denise I. Suttle, CMP
Assistant Director of Convention Services
Albuquerque CVB
E-mail: Suttle@itsatrip.org
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EX OFFICIO DIRECTOR
Vanessa Kane, CMP
Manager, Meetings and Events
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States National Headquarters
E-mail: VKane@vfw.org
Bio |
BIOGRAPHIES
Marilyn Healey, CMP, President
With 25 years of experience in the meeting planning and hospitality industry, Marilyn Healey, CMP currently serves as Senior Convention Services Manager for the Hyatt Regency Long Beach.
A native of San Francisco, Marilyn began her career in 1980 as a Public Relations Manager for a non-profit organization in downtown Los Angeles, where she was responsible for coordinating annual meetings, special event fundraisers, and media events. In 1989, Marilyn moved over to the hospitality side of meeting planning and worked for Hyatt Hotels until 1995. From 1995 to 2000, Marilyn gained additional experience in the meetings industry, working for the Long Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, where she served as Convention Services and Registration Manager for 5 years. From 2000 to 2005, Marilyn served as Director of Meetings & Convention Services at the Hilton Long Beach Hotel and Conference Center, and then the Hyatt Orange County.
A member of ACOM since 1996, Marilyn received the ACOM Member of the Year Award in 2001, was past Chair of the ACOM Marketing Committee, and Past President of ACOM's Southern California Chapter from 1998-1999. Marilyn currently serves as Second Vice President of National ACOM and is an Executive Committee member.
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Eric Blanc, CMP, President-Elect
Eric Blanc, CMP, has been involved in the Convention and Special Events Industry since 1992. His career spans stints with Tropicana Field as an event coordinator, Tampa Convention Center as a convention services supervisor, GES Expositions as a sales manager and the Freeman Companies where he is currently employed. Eric has also worked on special events such as the Centennial Olympic Games held in Atlanta, Georgia in 1996 and the Florida Classic Football Weekend in Tampa, Florida. Eric is currently an account executive for the Freeman Companies in Orlando, Florida where he is responsible for sales and production aspects of the companies Exposition Sales division.
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David Dvorak, CMP, First Vice President
David A. Dvorak, CMP, is Vice President of Catering and Convention Services for Starwood Hotels. David began his career as a meeting planner before joining Hilton Hotels at the New York Hilton as Director of Convention Service. He also served as Executive Director of Convention Service at Bally's Las Vegas and opened Paris Las Vegas, combining convention and banquet operations at the two properties. In 2000, David joined Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide as vice president of Convention and Meeting Services overseeing Convention/Catering Service departments in 400 of Starwood's North American hotels. In 2002, he joined Conference Direct as executive vice president, heading the Housing and Registration Division. David then rejoined Starwood in charge of convention, catering and banquet operations at the Sheraton New York before taking his current role as vice president of catering and convention service for Starwood Hotels.
David has won numerous industry awards from Successful Meetings magazine, Hilton Hotels, and is a two-time recipient of ASAE's Diamond Award of Excellence in Convention Service. David has been a long time member of ACOM, as well as ASAE, MPI and PCMA.
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Robert Desautels, CMP, Second Vice President
Senior Manager of Convention Services for the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association (ICVA), Robert E. Desautels, CMP, has been with the ICVA for twenty one (21) years. His roles have included membership manager, tourism sales, and publications. In his current position, he serves in a liaison role to provide a variety of services and overall assistance to meeting planners and client executives for organizations bringing their meeting, tradeshow and or special event to the city. Desautels also interacts with the Association's sales force, as well as its membership and communication team to help meet the needs of both areas.
Prior to coming to the ICVA, Desautels, an Indianapolis native, spent 18 years with American Fletcher National Bank (now Bank One/Chase) in the areas of property management, telecommunications, community relations, and advertising.
Desautels is active in the community, having served on the board of directors of the Madame Walker Theatre Center, the local USO office and, as past president of the CYO (Catholic Youth Organization). He is also the former president of the Serra (International) Club of Indianapolis, a catholic lay organization promoting vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Presently, Desautels serves on the Mission Advisory Council for the Sisters of Providence, an order of Catholic nuns domiciled near West Terre Haute, Indiana. He is also a member of the board of advisors for Our Lady of Fatima Retreat House, an agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis. He is also a member of the 500 Festival Associates.
Desautels has also worked in radio for a local station, and currently assists in the management of the public address announcing team for the 500 Festival Parade. In his business capacity, Desautels is a member of the Board of Directors for the Association of Convention Operations Management (ACOM). He also chairs the Marketing/Communications Committee for that organization. He received the designation of CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) in 1996.
He speaks to community groups/organizations on topics that include the ICVA, tourism in the city, and their value of it to the community.
Desautels is a graduate of Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, and received his B.S. degree from Xavier University in 1966. He is married to Theresa Ross, and parents to Kelly Stehlik; Rob Desautels and Sharon Desautels.
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Julie Pingston, CMP, Secretary/Treasurer
Julie Pingston, CMP, is the Senior Vice President for the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau. She has been with the GLCVB for since 1993and works in conjunction with the Bureau's President in overall organizational operations. She also has direct oversight over convention services, sports services, visitor services, membership and special events which are coordinated by the organization. Julie was ACOM's Member of the Year in 2004.
Previously, she worked in Washington D.C. for three years at the United States Travel & Tourism Administration within the U.S. Department of Commerce. While there, she assisted in planning international conferences and Board Meetings as well as administering a disaster relief assistance grant program.
Julie is a graduate of Alma College in Alma, MI and resides in Holt, Michigan.
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Lyan Tassler, Immediate Past President
Lyan Tassler is a veteran Convention Services professional with over 13 years experience in the meetings industry. She is currently residing in Sherman Oaks, CA and works for Experient as a Sourcing Manager. Previously, she was with Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau as Associate Vice President of Convention Services from 1997-2010. Lyan’s played an integral role in many successful events, including the 1999 & 2007 Super Bowls, US Travel International POW WOW, and the 2001, 2007 and 2008 Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Annual Conventions. Lyan served as ACOM President 2009-2010, and was the recipient of the President’s Award in 2007. Her background in the industry included stops at Norwegian Cruise Line and Eastern Air Lines. A native Miamian, she is now content to be a transplanted West Coast resident.
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Madonna Carr, CMP, Director
Madonna has been with Meet Minneapolis for the last 16 years and has been Director for the last 10 years. In 1997, Madonna was named “Convention Services Manager of the Year for CVB” by Successful Meetings Magazine. Madonna has been a member of ACOM for the last 10 years and was recently nominated to the ACOM Board of Directors.
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Felicia C. Davis, Director
Felicia Davis is a Convention Services Manager for the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Felicia has been in Convention services with the ACCVA for 7 years. She brings 10 years of extensive Casino/Hotel Service Management experience from her previous tenure with the Trump Marina Hotel & Casino.
Felicia is an active member with ACOM , IAEE and MPI.
Felicia is happily married and has two sons Zion age 10 and Avi age 4.
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Rhonda Eaton, CMP, Director
Bio to come
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Melissa Laskowsky, CMP, Director
Bio to come
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Leta McVeety, Director
Bio to come
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Marcy Roitman-Boothe, Director
Marcy Roitman-Boothe is Director of Destination Services for the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau and leads a team of over 100 staff and volunteers who help visitors become acquainted with Grapevine. Marcy has a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration/Marketing from the University of Illinois.
Marcy began her hospitality industry career in 1979 with Marriott Hotels and Resorts, and gained experience in Room Operations and Sales & Marketing. In 1992, Marcy joined the Grapevine CVB where she has served as a Sales Manager and Director of Sales before moving into her current position.
Marcy is responsible for Convention Services, Housing, the Visitor Information Center, brochures distribution and transportation services including the newly launched Grapevine Visitor Shuttle. Marcy co-authored a class called Destination Grapevine which helps employees of Grapevine's hotels, restaurants, attractions and merchants become knowledgeable about the city to ensure that all visitors have a great experience while in Grapevine. In 2010, Marcy was named to the Board of Directors for the Association of Convention Operations Management (ACOM), and will serve through 2012.
Marcy was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in its northern suburbs. However, Marcy got to Grapevine as soon as she could, and has lived in the community for 23 years.
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Barbara Stone, Director
Barbara Stone, a native of Fort Worth, began her hospitality career in 1984 as Catering Sales Manager at the Arlington Hilton Hotel. After one year she became Director of Convention Services at the Fort Worth Hilton in downtown Fort Worth, followed by a position as Director of Catering for the DFW Airport Hilton. She served as Convention Services Director for the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau from 1989 until 1991. In 1991, she joined the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau where she currently serves as Vice President, Convention Services and Community Relations.
Barbara is active in ACOM, PCMA, MPI, and TSAE and enjoys serving on various committees in industry organizations. She also serves on the board for the Senior Citizens Services of Greater Tarrant County and the Special Events Advisory Committee for the City of Fort Worth.
She has lived and worked in the Fort Worth area her entire life. She is married and has two grown children with 9 grandchildren. Her husband, Ken is the owner and operator of River Oaks Steak House in Fort Worth. Barbara enjoys movies, music, decorating and gardening.
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Denise I. Suttle, CMP, Director
Denise Suttle, CMP, is Assistant Director of Convention Services at the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau. She has been with the Albuquerque CVB since moving to New Mexico from Oklahoma in 1991. She is the Assistant Director of Convention Services, working with citywide conventions, sports events, and smaller meetings of all kinds. A member of PCMA since 1996 and ACOM since 2000, she is the editor of ACOMmodate and is currently on the Marketing/Communications Committee.
Denise started at the CVB in convention sales, making the change from senior national sales manager after eight years to convention services manager in 1999.
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Shawn-Ta Wilson, CMP, Director
Bio to come
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Michelle Yeager, CMP, Director
Michelle Yeager, CMP is a Senior Convention Services Manager at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta, GA. A native of Mississippi, Michelle has been in Atlanta since 2003. She has been a member of ACOM since 1999, in which she has served on the Annual Meeting Committee in 2002 and as Vice Chair in 2003. She has also served on the Membership Committee since 2003 and became Chair of the committee in 2006. She has been on the Board of Directors of ACOM since 2006. Michelle earned her Bachelor of Science in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management with a double minor in Computer Science and Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1998.
She has one child – a cat named Gizmo. In her spare time, she likes to travel and read and enjoys watching college football and hockey.
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Vanessa Kane, CMP, Ex Officio Director
Vanessa Kane, CMP, is Manager of Meetings & Events for the Kansas City Headquartered Veterans Organization, VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States) with 2.7 million members. Prior to joining the VFW, she worked for ERA (Electronic Realty Associates), a National Real Estate Franchise, for 18 years as Meetings and Travel Manager. Vanessa is a past chapter president (2002-2003) of the Kansas City Chapter of Meeting Professionals International and is a charter member of the chapter. She is also a member of the Heartland Chapter of PCMA.
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