USA, Orlando, Florida. August 20, 2018

Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI ), a meetings and incentive global sales organization serving more than 250 luxury hotels and resorts, has announced the recipients of its inaugural scholarship fund - Kelsey Kottkamp, Dana Margulies, Deborah Larrimore, Monique Cotton, and Diana Maineri. The initiative supports meeting and event planners by providing five $1,000 scholarships to industry professionals working towards their certification. Winners were announced at ALHI's annual Industry Executive Council (IEC) Conference held June 10-13.

"We're thrilled to provide scholarships to these deserving individuals, in support of Global Meetings Industry Day" said Mark Sergot, ALHI's chief sales officer. "We realize the invaluable wealth and knowledge meetings and events planners bring to the industry and couldn't think of a more worthwhile way to contribute to this exciting field. We're delighted to watch these candidates as they develop their professional careers."

Launched in conjunction with the Meetings Mean Business Coalition's Global Meetings Industry Day (April 12, 2018), an international day of advocacy to highlight the positive impact of Meetings & Events business, the scholarship emphasizes ALHI's unwavering commitment to the industry and its professionals. ALHI invited its clients to nominate individuals who exemplify a passion and dedication to the meetings and events industry, with one winner chosen from each of ALHI's five regions: the Midwest, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, West and South.

ALHI holds a seat on the Meetings Mean Business Coalitions Board of Directors.

• Midwest Winner: Kelsey Kottkamp is a meeting specialist at McDermott, Will & Emery, and was nominated by Pamela Bronkema, the organization's director of event marketing.
• Northeast Winner: Dana Margulies worked for The TEAM Group, LLC in Florham Park for over a decade before starting her second career at JP Morgan Chase in the prime brokerage area. She was nominated by Jane Margulies, president of The TEAM Group, LLC.
• Mid-Atlantic Winner: Deborah Larrimore worked at IBO as a conference and event planner from August 2010 - October 2015 before transitioning to 360 Destination Group to serve as the operations manager. She was nominated by Jeanine Littrel, senior conference & travel manager at IBO, Americas Region.
• West Winner: Monique Cotton is a Senior Events Planner at TransAmerica Insurance and was nominated by the company's Senior Manager of Meetings & Events Cindy Villa.
• South Winner: Diana Maineri is a program development manager at Global Event Team and was nominated by the company's President and Owner Katharine Hayes.

For more information about ALHI and/or its member hotels and resorts, planners can contact their nearest ALHI Global Sales offices in the North & South America, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom (25 offices in total). For specifics, go to alhi.com to identify the nearest ALHI Global Sales professional. Or, call the ALHI Group Desk toll-free in the U.S. at 866-303-ALHI (2544).