HSMAI Appoints Board of Directors
Jack Schmidt, Destination Hotels & Resorts, Named Chair
MCLEAN, VA, January 2, 2007. Taking a leadership role to drive the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) to even greater heights is its newly-announced Americas Board of Directors and Executive Committee for 2007. The impressive board of seasoned sales and marketing executives in the travel and hospitality industry is charged with furthering HSMAI's efforts to create innovative and successful products and programs for its broad membership base of sales and marketing professionals.
"The board is a dynamic group of smart, talented and experienced professionals who bring a tremendous amount of insight, ideas and strategic direction to the table," states Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI. "Many of HSMAI's recent successes and new initiatives, such as timely and pertinent research studies, special interest groups, webinars and much more, are a result of the Board's guidance and leadership."
HSMAI chair, Jack Schmidt, regional vice president, sales and marketing, Destination Hotels & Resorts adds: "It is our responsibility as an organization to provide an information-rich environment where professionals can access industry trends and issues that impact sales and marketing of the hospitality industry on a daily basis."
The HSMAI Americas Nominating Committee has released the following slate of Board of Directors for the 2007 administrative year:
HSMAI Executive Committee (serving for the final year of a two-year term):
o Chair: Jack Schmidt, regional vice president, sales and marketing, Destination Hotels & Resorts
o Chair-elect: Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president of marketing, Best Western International
o Vice Chair: David Atkins, senior vice president, advertising and business development, Freedom Communications Inc.
o Treasurer: Kim Schaller, vice president, chief marketing officer, Hershey Entertainment
o Immediate Past Chair: Maureen O'Hanlon, senior partner, The Prism Partnership
Board of Directors:
o Barbara Bowden, corporate director of revenue management, Peabody Hotel Group
o Maureen Callahan, vice president, marketing, Destination Hotels & Resorts
o Chris Cowan, vice president, Lodging, American Express Establishment Services
o Tedd Evers, director, global accounts, partner marketing, Travelocity
o Frank Fredericks, vice president of sales & marketing, Wild Dunes Resort
o Christian Gayet, senior vice president of sales, Accor North America
o Ursula Hahn, CHME, managing director, HSMAI Mexico
o Richard Harper, vice president of sales & marketing, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
o Andrew Jordan, president, Boost Brand Consulting
o Pamela Streeter, vice president for electronic distribution & marketing, Interstate Hotels & Resorts
o Mark Thompson, assistant executive director, Irving/Las Colinas CVB
o Jens Thraenhart, executive director of marketing strategy & customer relationship management, Canadian Tourism Commission
o Rob Torres, head of travel sales, Google
o Dawn Walzak, CHME, first vice president, Tishman Hotel Corporation
HSMAI is an organization of sales and marketing professionals representing all segments of the hospitality industry. With a strong focus on education, HSMAI has become the industry champion in identifying and communicating trends in the hospitality industry, and bringing together customers and members at annual events, including HSMAI's Affordable Meetings(R). Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising more than 7,000 members worldwide, with 36 chapters in the Americas Region.
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