Black Meetings and Tourism

March/April 2013

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•pg_3-13__BMT_pg3-58 4/30/13 11:51 AM Page 6 NEWSMAKERS MICHELE H. PONDEXTER, CHSP DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY SALES – CHOOSE CHICAGO Michele Pondexter joined the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau-Choose Chicago in September of 2012 as director of Diversity Sales. A proud native of Chicago, Pondexter knows the city well and appreciates its rich culture and diversity. She considers being a part of an industry that showcases the city that she loves so well, a natural fit. Pondexter considers her job representing Chicago as an international cultural destination to group travelers a privilege and a pleasure. Her mission is to ensure that groups have a great experience during their stay and that they leave Chicago truly understanding why she is so proud of Chicago and that they too will love the city so much that they return again and again. Pondexter's career path in the hospitality and tourism industry began a few years after college. She knew instantly that the industry was a good professional match. She has spent many years on the sales teams of several great hospitality organizations, all of them in Chicago. Those companies included: The Ambassador West, Choice Hotels, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts and Intercontinental Hotels Group holding positions as sales manager, senior sales manager and director of sales. At each property, Pondexter successfully managed groups and worked with meeting planners in the diversity markets with a proven track record of exceeding revenue goals, cultivating quality business opportunities and building great customer relationships. Pondexter is an alumni of Illinois State University. She has earned certifications in Certified Hospitality Sales Professional, Master Connections Professional Development, Professional Selling and Negotiation Skills and has logged hundreds of hours in industry continuing education and development trainings. Pondexter was recognized in 2012 Who's Who in Black Chicago in the area of Hospitality and Tourism and has received countless accolades from business partners. Michele's memberships in industry associations include: Fraternal Executives Association, Religious Conference Management Association, Rejuvenate, Society of Government Meeting Planners and National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners. SCOTT CRUICKSHANK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OREGON CONVENTION CENTER Scott Cruickshank is the executive director of the Oregon Convention Center (OCC) located in Portland, Oregon. Totaling one million sq. ft. in space, the OCC hosts roughly 600 events and 600,000 guests each year, supporting on average, 5,000 local jobs and generating $500 million in regional spending in local businesses. Prior to joining the OCC in 2012, Cruickshank managed the Portland 6 region properties for the Grand Heritage Hotel Group, which included Portland's Governor Hotel, Avalon Hotel & Spa, and Aquariva Italian Kitchen + Wine Bar. Previously, he served as director of operations for Martin Hospitality in Cannon Beach, Oregon, responsible for the Conde Nast and Travel & Leisure magazines-ranked Stephanie Inn, the Surfsand Resort and Wayfarer Restaurant and Lounge, and the Lumberyard Rotisserie and Grill. He was general manager of The Resort at the Mountain, 160-room full service golf and conference center resort in Welches, Oregon, and managed various Stuart Anderson's Restaurants across Oregon and Washington prior to that. Throughout his tenure in the tourism and hospitality industries, he has resided on several boards and commissions, including the Travel Portland board of directors and Clackamas County Tourism Development Council, chaired the Villages of Mt. Hood Tourism Marketing Alliance, Oregon Lodging Association (OLA) and Tri-County Lodging Association, and currently serves as an advisory council member on the Mt. Hood Community College board. In 2005, he was named OLA's Lodging Operator of the Year. VISIT JACKSONVILLE SELECTS EXPERIENCED LEADER PAUL ASTLEFORD NEW PRESIDENT/CEO BRINGS EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE TO BUREAU Visit Jacksonville announced recently that after a national search it has selected Paul Astleford as its next president and chief executive officer. Astleford, arrives in Jacksonville after a successful tour of duty leading Experience Columbus, in Columbus, Ohio, where he served as its president and CEO since 2000. "I see Jacksonville as a city with huge potential as a destination for corporate, group and leisure travel," said Astleford. "I look forward to working with the city, community leaders and our hospitality industry and partners to elevate the awareness of all the assets that northeast Florida has to offer." Astleford, with more than 42-years of hospitality industry experience, including destination-marketing experience as president and CEO for the Greater Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau, worked as vice president of Sales and Marketing for Disney Resorts and Hyatt Hotels Corporation, as well. In his most recent role in Columbus, he heightened awareness and recognition of and support for the visitor industry as a powerful economic development engine for Central Ohio. He also restructured and repositioned Experience Columbus to become the acknowledged sales and marketing arm of the city and the recognized orchestrator of the Columbus visitor experience. Janice Lowe, chair for Visit Jacksonville's board of directors, said the decision to hire Astleford was based on his strong experience and knowledge of the industry. "The tourism industry brings in over 3.2 million visitors annually to Jacksonville which have an economic impact of over $1.6 billion dollars. Visit Jacksonville's sales efforts bring in over 400 conventions, meetings and sports groups annually into Duval County and help to support the 43,000 hospitality industry employees in Northeast Florida. With Paul's vast experience we expect he will be able to assist in growing these numbers to record levels." B M & T ••• March/April 2013 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com

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