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B M & T ••• March/Apri 2019 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 12 N E W S M A K E R S Former board chairman, Essence Banks, serves as executive director of the New Orleans Multicultural Tourism Network (NOMTN). Her 24-month contract, which began in February of 2018, ended a six-month executive search. Banks began her service as chairman of the NOMTN board in 2014. She was the Director of Six Sigma/Operational Excellence at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (Marriott International) as a member of the Executive Committee since 2013, and has a Six Sigma Black Belt Certification. Banks also served as Assistant Director of Human Relations at the hotel. Banks came to the Sheraton after 12 years at Entergy Services, Inc. where she worked in training and development, supplier diversity/supply chain management, and project management. She started her career at NOMTN where, from between 1994 and 1998, she served as Sales Convention Manager. "We received more than 200 resumes from four job boards for the position before making the offer to Essence," said Angela Simon, who chaired the NOMTN Personnel Committee. "She possesses the requisite senior management, institution- al knowledge, tourism and governmental experience that the Committee felt was necessary to maximize NOMTN's success, maintain continuity, and advance the organization's mission." Simon replaced Banks as board chairman on February 2, 2018. Bank's core competencies include human resource management, leadership, team building, process improvement, strate- gic planning, and developing and maintaining strategic partnerships/relationships. "Given Essence's leadership, passion, and commitment during the past 18 months as well as her institutional knowledge of NOMTN, the board agreed this would be a win-win," Simon said. Banks has extensive board and leadership experience with several local and national non-profit organizations. She has been the recipient of the Louisiana Minority Business Council Business Advocate of the Year Award (2007 & 2010), the Mississippi Minority Business Alliance 2006 Chairman's Award, Emerging Philanthropist of New Orleans 2011 Graduate, and New Orleans City Business 2017 Women of the Year. Banks earned her Bachelor of Arts & Sciences degree from Loyola University and her MBA from the University of New Orleans. ESSENCE BANKS IN MIDDLE OF TERM AS NEW ORLEANS MULTICULTURAL TOURISM NETWORK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR New Orleans Before entering the tourism industry, Brenda Scott- Savage enjoyed a successful 20-year career as a corporate officer in the banking industry. Savage served as Vice President of Community and Member Relations for seven years at the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau and is the former President and CEO of the Mobile Area Convention and Visitor Bureau (MACVB). Savage is privileged to serve and support the convention and visitor industry for more than 27 years and has been recognized for her area of experience and expertise. Savage does an extensive amount of public speaking on a variety of subjects in the business community as well as industry seminars to include keynote presentations to the British Association of Conference Destinations, Manchester, England, Travel Industry of America, International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus along with state and local associations throughout the United States. Savage, semi-retired continues to serve as a consultant to DMOs and the travel industry. She joined the Greater Houston Convention and visitor Bureau as Director of Membership in June of 2013 after serving as a consultant to the organization, redeveloping their membership program. GREATER HOUSTON CVB'S DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP SCOTT-SAVAGE AN INDUSTRY ICON