Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/16726
Thanks a lot to the Nashville THANKS FOR A GREAT CONFERENCE Thanks to all of you that came to celebrate our first interna- tional conference held in Nassau, Bahamas. The conference was great from beginning to end. Everyone did their part to make this the best ever. As I look back over all that occurred, I must say it was a success. Here are a few of the many confer- ence highlights: • Pre-Conference Island Tour, sponsored by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism •Our special high profile guest at the opening luncheon • The special reception at the home of U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas, Ambassador Nicole Avant •Our youth component at this year’s conference •The acappella boys choir – Dicey Dough Boys •The APEX AWARDDinner • Junkanoo Parade at the close of the APEX Awards • Special Heritage Tours of our newly authenticated sites in New Providence Island • Closing Gala’s horse race sponsored by Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau • Luncheon held at the Government House hosted by Governor General Sir Arthur and Lady Foulkes. We would like to thank Minister Vincent Vanderpool- Wallace, Virginia Kelly and the entire staff of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism along with Senator Dr. Jacinta Higgs and the Honourable Minister Charles Maynard of Youth, Education and Culture for their gracious hospitality during our time in Nassau. We’d also like to thank the wonderful staff at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort for their outstanding serv- ice and to our Master of Ceremony, Mr. Roy Jay, who always does a superb job. To all of the Chapter Presidents and each of your members, we thank you for your support and willingness to help. We couldn’t have done it without you. Special thanks goes out to Gloria (GG) Goodwin, former VP of the New York Chapter, for a superb job facilitating one of the workshop sessions. A heartfelt thanks to Wanda Steadman for overseeing the mentor student program along with all those who worked with her. Chapter for obtaining many of the door prizes for the conference. Mary Brantley and National Capital Area Chapter, thanks for all of your help making calls prior to the conference and taking on the responsibility of the registra- tion desk. Our gratitude goes out to our great staff and our Heritage and Tech Team for a job well done. Last but not least, we must thank ALL of our sponsors who made this conference and trade show possible. We certainly can’t forget the wonderful breakfast and dinners sponsored by Laura Robles and the RIUproperty. The property was beautiful and the meals were outstanding. Thanks again Laura! The compliments and kind words at this year’s conference Charlotte Haymore have given us the incentive and determination to take the organization to the next level. The conference theme was “Opportunity: Recognize and Embrace its Power”. Several of our members took the oppor- tunity to take the exam to receive their Certified Travel Agent (CTA) and /or Certified Travel Counsel (CTC) designation. Hats off to Carolyn White, former president of the Atlanta Chapter and Geormine Stanyard, member of the National Capital Area Chapter. Both of these ladies passed the CTA exam. Noble Jenkins’s passed the CTC exam, and her required white paper is going to be featured in the Travel Institute Newsletter! What an accomplishment. Congratulations to all of them. We are pleased to welcome our newest Corporate Members, Kimberly Sherrett, ACC, CTC who is senior director of Business Development/Recruitment and Acquisitions with Travel Planners International (TPI) and Ndija Kakumba, account specialist with Choice Hotels International. We look forward to a long lasting business relationship with both of our new members. Congratulations to Beverly Bentley our 2010 TPOC AGENT of the Year. She is the owner of Bentley Travel Services, which was founded and established in 1999, a fami- ly owned and operated business, located in Forestville, Maryland. Beverly is a CLIA accredited cruise counselor, and vice president of the Travel Professionals of Color- National Capital Area Chapter. We’d also extend congratu- lation to the other nominees – Lillian Miller owner and oper- ator of LL Travel Connection of Atlanta, Georgia and Lottie Fleming, owners and operators of On the Move Travel, Oakland, California. Black Meetings & Tourism July/August 2010: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 33