Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1544721
B M & T ••• May/June 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 8 CHOOSE CHICAGO APPOINTS HOSPITALITY LEADER SHAKARA SHELTON AS VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES Choose Chicago, the city's official destination marketing organization, recently named Shakara Shelton as the Vice President of Sales. Shelton brings more than 15 years of progressive leadership in sales and hospitality, most recently serving as a National Acco- unts Manager at Hilton. In this role, Shelton will help drive growth across Chicago's meetings and events portfolio, strengthen- ing the city's competitive position as a top-tier global destination for events of all sizes. "We are thrilled to welcome Shakara as our new VP of Sales at Choose Chicago," said Kristen Reynolds, President and CEO of Choose Chicago. "Her ability to lead, inspire, and scale high- performing sales teams—combined with her proven suc- cess in winning complex, competitive business—will take our sales efforts to new heights and position Chicago for continued growth in the global meetings and events marketplace." At Hilton, Shelton led national accounts across corporate, intermediary, and association markets, managing a broad port- folio of hotel properties nationwide. Her career also includes leadership roles with Embassy Suites, InterMountain Management, and Atrium Hospitality. "I'm excited to join Choose Chicago at a moment when the city is building real momentum," said Shelton. "Chicago's ven- ues, hotels, neighborhoods, and cultural experiences make it a truly world- class events destination, and I look forward to working with this incredible team to show meeting planners why we really are the Best Big City." Shelton will join the Choose Chicago sales team led by Senior Vice President of Sales and Client Services Dustin Arnheim, which secures high-value conventions and meetings at McCormick Place and across more than 150 partner hotels—driving more than $3 billion in annual economic activity and supporting thousands of jobs across Chicago's hospitality and tourism sectors. As part of Choose Chicago's strategy to grow market share and solidify the global competitive edge, Shelton will lead sales efforts focused on self-contained hotel events, meetings at signature venues such as Navy Pier, and smaller events requiring fewer than 3,000 peak hotel rooms. "Shakara is the kind of leader who understands that strong THE LAWRENCE HOTEL ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP TEAM AHEAD OF SUMMER 2026 OPENING General Manager, Director of Sales and Executive Chef Appointed NorthPointe Hospitality Management & Develop- ment announces the Executive Team for The Lawrence Hotel, a Hilton Tapestry Collection property scheduled to open in Summer 2026. The hotel will be Lawrenceville's first boutique, full-service hotel and aims to set a new standard of hospitality in the community. Leading the team as General Manager is Chase Wynn, who brings more than 15 years of hospitality leader- ship experience to the posi- tion. Originally from Los Angeles, Wynn has held lead- ership roles with Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt. Known for building high-per- forming teams and delivering exceptional guest experiences, Wynn is thrilled to be named as the "head coach" and GM of what he believes will be an award-winning team and hotel in downtown Lawrenceville, Georgia. "I will personally be involved in the selection and develop- ment of everyone on my roster. We will be building careers, not just filling jobs," said Wynn. "As a former collegiate student-ath- lete, I have a passion for building and motivating teams to suc- ceed and am excited to bring that mindset to The Lawrence and help create a welcoming destination for both visitors and the results start with strong teams," said Arnheim. "She invests in people, builds trust, and creates environments where teams feel supported, challenged, and empowered to grow—and that's exactly the leadership our organization values. " About Choose Chicago Choose Chicago is the official destination marketing organization responsible for promoting Chicago as a global tourism and meetings destination—the city that's Never Done and Never Outdone. Choose Chicago leverages the city's unmatched assets to enrich the community by attracting meetings, events, and more than 55 million annual visitors, generating over $20 billion in economic impact. Follow @choosechicago and tag #NeverOutdoneChi on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and X/Twitter. For more infor- mation, visit choosechicago.com. NEWSMAKERS