Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1511108
GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU ADDS TO MVP SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT TEAM The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), Miami-Dade County's official destination marketing organization, has named Amanda Ford sports and entertainment tourism man- ager. Ford will be responsible for supporting sales and marketing efforts positioning Greater Miami and Miami Beach among the world's premier sporting and entertainment meccas with an added focus on attracting film and television production. A world-renowned marquee event destination, Greater Miami and Miami Beach plays host to an extensive lineup of sporting events including Formula 1 and NASCAR racing annually, the Miami Open tennis tournament, the Capital One Orange Bowl, the Miami Marathon, the Super Bowl a record 11 times, and in 2026, the FIFA World Cup™ among others. "Greater Miami is synonymous with hosting championship events and the world's greatest athletes, and that's all the more reason to raise our talent level to promote this destination by adding Amanda Ford to our growing team," said Director of Sports and Entertainment Tourism Mat Ratner. "Amanda brings a wealth of experience to the GMCVB, and we're excited to have her hit the ground running." Most recently, Ford was with the Florida Sports Foundation (FSF) where she directed the Foundation's grant program, supporting the many events hosted in Greater Miami and throughout the state of Florida, managing partner relationships with FSF's 38 regional sports commissions, and playing a key role in the execution of the Sunshine State Games and the Florida Senior Games. The Florida State University graduate holds a masters in sports administration from St. Thomas University. She is an active member of WISE (Women in Sports & Events), underscoring her commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the industry. STOVALL CONTINUES TO MAKE HIS MARK ON THE INDUSTRY Calvin Stovall has nearly 30 years of experience in the hospitality and non-profit service industries. During his hospitality career as VP of Brand Marketing with Hilton Worldwide, he was responsible for the marketing and public relations efforts for more than 150 Homewood Suites hotels. He also served as a brand marketing strategist with ALSAC, the brand aware- ness and fundraising arm for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; and as CEO of The Soulsville Foundation, a non- profit based in Memphis, TN. Calvin is currently Chief Experience Officer for ICON- IC Presentations, LLC in the Charlotte NC area where he specializes in delivering cus- tomized keynote presentations and customer service training for organizations nationwide. Calvin earned a B.S. from Chicago State University, and a Master's of Professional Studies degree from Cornell School of Hotel Administration. New York City Tourism & Conventions, formerly known as NYC & Company, is proud to announce the new Director, Sports & Big Events Christopher Thompson. Thompson joins the orga- nization's Government Relations team and will over- see and support the promo- tion of sports and big events within the organization that drives visitation to New York City's five boroughs. He will also coordinate and work with various internal depart- ments as well as city entities to encourage strong commu- nication and ensure the cre- ation of a unified approach and strategy. While the majority of the event portfolio will focus on sporting events, Thompson will also be working on other forms of big events that attract visitors and sup- port the company's tourism goals. Prior to coming to New York City Tourism + Conventions, Thompson spent six years at Destination DC, working on their tourism team in sports and special events development for Washington DC. Thompson was a part of successful bids to bring events such as the Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer All-Star Games to Washington DC, as well as the Army vs Navy Football Game, NCAA Men's Basketball Regional Tournament Championship, along with various college basketball conference tournament championships, and the World Culture Festival. B M & T ••• November/December 2023 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 11 N E W S M A K E R S