Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/140546
•pg_38-45__BMT_pg3-58 6/21/13 11:14 PM Page 42 Her commitment and passion to sales and marketing are seen in her numerous accolades throughout her 30 year career. and professionalism to the Tennessee tourism industry and for their involvement with and service to the Tennessee tourism. CALVIN TAYLOR is vice president of Government Relations for the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, where he works closely with state government, city officials and the local hospitality industry in Memphis in enhancing the development and growth of Memphis tourism. In addition he serves as the bureau's director of the Memphis tourism education foundation, which administers the city's official hospitality tourism training program. Taylor is co-founder of the Beale street development corporation, the organization that reintroduced the historic district as a tourist destination. He also worked as publicity director at Southland Racing Corporation, the southeast's largest pari-mutuel waging center. Additionally he is a member of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners and is a past chairman of the Tennessee Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus. Besides being a major player in the state's tourism industry for many years, he has also served the Tennessee Tourism Roundtable (TTR) faithfully as a board member, TTR Government Relations Committee member and chair, and chair of the annual TTR salute to the legislature. Last year he served as chair of TTR after serving as vice-chair during 2010. Taylor was named as the recipient of the 2010 Tennessee Tourism Roundtable Knight of the Roundtable Award, an award given in recognition of an individual for their outstanding contributions of leadership, service, ALBERT TUCKER serves as vice president of Multicultural Business Development for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB), where he is focused on ensuring that organizations and families of diverse backgrounds select Greater Fort Lauderdale as the destination of choice for conferences and family reunions. It is Tucker's vision to expose ethnically diverse individuals and groups to Greater Fort Lauderdale so that GFL becomes the destination of choice for individuals of color. Over the past 4 years Greater Fort Lauderdale has been a magnet for Family Reunions, where that segment of the market has increased by more than 45%. Group business has expanded in a major way and the destination is primed to welcome prestigious organizations such as the American Tennis Association (ATA) 2013, Progressive National Baptist Convention (PNBC) 2014, National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) 2014, 100 Black Men of America in 2014, and the National Urban League (NUL) in 2015. FLOYD WILLIAMS, JR., CMP, serves as director of National Accounts and Tradeshows for the Jackson (MS) Convention & Visitors Bureau. Williams' professional work includes organizations such as Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, NAACP, National Conference of Black Mayors, African Methodist Episcopal Church, Society of Black Academic Surgeons, The National Black Caucus of State Legislators and The USSSA Black American World Series. He serves on the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated Time & Place committee to project future locations for the biennial national convention and the fraternity's involvement with the Congressional Black Caucus activities. He serves in a similar capacity on the district and regional levels. Williams is active in the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Leadership Jackson Alumni Association and Jackson State National Alumni Associa-tion; he currently serves as a board chair for Our Community Salutes of Mississippi and the Alpha Foundation. AHMEENAH YOUNG, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, leads the development of policies supporting a customer-focused experience. She oversaw a $786 million expansion, ahead of schedule and under budget, with a women- and minorityowned business participation rate of 32%. Young managed Philadelphia's Independence Visitor Center Corp. and she sits on the boards of Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce; Wawa Welcome America!; Hahnemann University Hospital; Temple University's School of Tourism and Hospitality; and Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. 42 B M & T ••• May/June 2013 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com