Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/22095
manage the planning, construction and grand opening of four convention centers. Before Washington, Dawley served as the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority’s general manager, where he developed a strategic opera- tional plan for the opening of the 1.3 million-sq. ft. facility and directed day-to-day operations. Dawley also opened and operated the COBO Convention/Exhibition Center in Detroit, where he was general manager from 1977 to 1989, and the Minneapolis Convention Center, where he was director of Operations from 1989 to 1991. Dawley is a member of several professional organiza- tions including the International Association of Assembly Managers, the National Association of Exposition Managers, the Professional Convention Management Association, the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners and the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association. ELLIOT FERGUSON serves as presi- dent and CEO of Destination DC. Starting his tenure with the organi- zation as vice president of Convention Sales and Services, Ferguson led the organization’s effort to promoteWashington,DC as a premier meeting and conven- tion destination. In his new, role Ferguson will lead the sales and marketing organization and man- age the finance and business devel- opment operations. A 20-year veteran of the CVB industry, Ferguson has been with Destination DC since December 2001. Prior to working at Destination DC he served as vice president of Sales at the Atlanta, Georgia CVB. He has also served as director of Sales for both the Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia CVBs. Ferguson received a Bachelor ofArts inMarketing and Business Administration from Savannah State University. He is a member of the American Society of Association Executives, the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners, the Religious Conference Management Association,and the ProfessionalConventionManagement Association. Ferguson also serves as a board member for theMarch ofDimes Capital Chapter. VALERIE C. FERGUSON with three decades of experience in the hospi- tality industry, brings a wealth of expertise to the Loews Atlanta Hotel. Named one of the 100Most Influential Women in Travel by Travel Agent magazine and one of the Top 100 Women in Corporate America by Ebony, Ferguson con- tinues to be a leader in hospitality and tourism across the country. She is a past chairman of theAmericanHotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) where she spearheaded “Opportunity of a Lifetime”, a campaign organized to pro- mote hospitality careers throughout the United States. Ferguson joined the Loews Atlanta in the spring of 2010 as the Regional Vice President for the company’s first new- build hotel opening in 10 years. This new position will mark a return toAtlanta for Ferguson,who gained status as a city icon during her years in the market service as general man- ager of The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta and general manager positions at Hyatt properties in Atlanta, Chicago and Flint, Michigan. Prior to joining the Loews Atlanta team, Ferguson served as the regional vice president & managing director in Philadelphia, beginning in 1998 to oversee the $115 million conversion of the landmark PSFS Building into the luxury, convention-driven Loews Philadelphia Hotel. She was further charged with leading the property through its high-profile opening in the spring 2000. Ferguson’s numerous awards and accolades are tribute to her dedication and passion for the hospitality industry. Some of her awards include The National Women of the Year in 1993 from the Network of Executive Women in Hospitality, The Drum Major for Justice Award from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1998, and a 2009 BM&T Apex Award for Distinguished Service, among many others. GERRY FERNANDEZ is founder and president of the Multicultural Foodservice&HospitalityAlliance (MFHA), a national non-profit organization that promotes the business benefits of cultural diversi- ty in the food and hospitality indus- try while helping its members attract, develop, and retain multi- cultural talent. With over 35 years of experience in the industry, Fernandez has held leadership positions with several well known companies including General Mills, The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, Hemenway’s Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar and The Capital Grille, now owned byDarden. Fernandez founded MFHA in 1996 while employed at General Mills as a national account manager. Since then, MFHA has grown into a respected and well known non- profitwith over 1,000members. MFHAwas the first organ- ization to bring about a national discussion on diversity management in the hospitality industry and today,MFHA remains the only non-profit organization focused on pro- moting the business case for diversity within the restaurant, foodservice and lodging segments. As President ofMFHA, Fernandez has been influential in aiding dozens of companies with their diversity talent management initiatives and has been directly involved in creating programs designed to attract, develop and retain multicultural talent to the industry. Black Meetings & Tourism November/December 2010: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 57