Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/113255
•pg_3-13__BMT_pg3-58 2/27/13 6:28 AM Page 6 NEWS MAKERS VETERAN HOTEL INDUSTRY EXECUTIVE ERNEST WOODEN, JR. NAMED PRESIDENT AND CEO, LOS ANGELES TOURISM & CONVENTION BOARD Ernest (Ernie) Wooden, Jr., a long-time senior hospitality industry executive and Los Angeles-area resident since 1999, has been named president and CEO of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (LA Tourism), it was announced recently by Tom Mullen, LA Tourism's chairman of the Board He succeeds Mark Liberman who served in the role since 2003 and announced his retirement this past May. Wooden has spent his entire career in the hospitality industry, including more than a decade in senior leadership positions in both global brand management and operations with Hilton Hotels Corporation. As executive vice president, Global Brand Management for Hilton, based in Beverly Hills, CA, he led all worldwide branding initiatives for the well-known hotel corporation, working with 3,000 properties in 80 countries. His operations roles at Hilton included overseeing territories in Mexico, the Caribbean and across the U.S. In addition, Wooden has also worked with such top hospitality brands as Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, Omni Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree by Hilton and Promus Hotel Corporation. Before accepting this post, he was the CEO of Creative Consulting, a hotel consulting practice providing hotel operation, valuation and brand selection and analysis services. Prior to forming the consulting practice, he was executive vice president and senior managing director at Alagem Capital Group, a privately owned, diversified investment group which owns the Beverly Hilton Hotel, amongst other high-profile properties, where he was responsible for identifying and exploring potential international hospitality investments. "Moving forward, we are very pleased to welcome someone with Ernie's depth of global hospitality branding and operations experience. He is known in the industry for building relationships and driving business results, and we look forward to working with him to capitalize on the momentum our tourism industry is enjoying," said Mullen. A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Wooden holds both a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's degree in management science from Thomas Edison State College and is currently pursuing a doctorate from the International School of Management, Paris, France. He officially joins LA Tourism in January, 2013. LAUREN HALL TABBED AS DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS AT GREATER NEWARK CVB As a member of the start up crew for O, The Oprah Winfrey Magazine to her last position as director of Tourism for Jersey City, NJ, Lauren Hall has continually sought out opportunities that have allowed her to be a part of the creative process, bringing new endeavors to life. In May of 2012 Hall was asked by Michael Davidson, the newly hired executive director for the Greater Newark Convention and Visitors Bureau (GNCVB), to join him in rebuilding the organization. Newark, the state's largest city, offering world-class entertainment, historical and cultural treasures, as well as major league sporting events, had far too many assets for her to resist. Together they set forth creating a destination brand for the region, working with North Star Destination Strategies on a fourmonth multi phased process resulting in a brand launch this spring. "We're on our way to becoming the first CVB in the state to bring forth a Special Improvement District (SID) designed to provide sustainable funding for regional tourism promotion and marketing," explains Hall. "We have worked diligently to secure new events like the 2013 National Hockey League Draft for the city and have launched successful initiatives like Endless Arts October, a month long celebration of the arts, solidifying Newark's status as the Culture Capital of New Jersey. Behind the lines we are gearing up for the fist cold weather Super Bowl game coming to the region in 2014! As the marketing sub committee chair for the Greater Newark region, we've been in a huddle strategizing…stay tuned, Newark's going for a touchdown!," she adds. 6 B M & T ••• January/February 2013 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com