Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/244474
•pg_39-53_mj__BMT_pg3-58 1/8/14 10:40 PM Page 51 tions of the Educational Institute, as well as directs the overall vision and strategies in conjunction with the board of trustees. Steele's re s p o n s i b i l i t i e s also include representing EI as its spokesperson and leader, formulating profitable and productive strategic business alliances to enhance EI, increasing penetration of the international markets, and enhancing marketing efforts within the industry. With more than 30 years of hospitality experience, Steele has spent his entire career with Hyatt Hotels Corporation, serving as general manager of the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay; the Hyatt Regency Baltimore, Baltimore, Md.; Hyatt Regency Washington, Washington, D.C.; and Hyatt Fairlakes, Fairfax, Va., prior to his current position. Steele is the past chairman of American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), having held the position of 2007 chairman of the board. An active and long-time supporter of AH&LA, Steele has served on various committees and boards, including the Strategic Planning Committee; Multicultural & Diversity Advisory Council; Membership/Sales & Marketing Committee; Credit Card Advisory Council; Financial Management Committee; Lodging Industry Rating Advisory Committee; ADA Task Force; Audit, Certification & Credentials Committee; Engineering & Environment Committee; Human Resources Council; and Loss Prevention Committee. ZITA STEGLICH-ROSS serves as director of Convention Sales at Visit Orlando, where she is responsible for the organization's day-to-day sales operations. Steglich-Ross, a Certified Meeting Professional, works closely with a 30-person sales and support team on all aspects of the sales process for Visit Orlando, the No. 1 most visited destination in the U.S. She also sits on the boards of the American Diabetes Association of Central Florida and the Florida Hall of Fame Highwaymen Artist, Inc. In addition to her community involvement, she is also a member of numerous key industry organizations such as the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners, Meeting Professionals International and the Professional Convention Management Association. Previously, she has served as a committee member of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, both the Mid-Eastern Athletic and Southwestern Athletic conferences and as a board member for the Urban League of Central Florida. Her commitment and passion to sales and marketing are seen in her numerous accolades throughout her 30-year career. CALVIN TAYLOR iis 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 parimutuel 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, and professionalism to the Tennessee tourism industry and for their involvement with and service to the Tennessee tourism. MELVIN TENNANT is president and chief executive officer of Meet Minneapolis, the official Convention and Visitors Association. He became the organization's second CEO in 2008. Since joining Meet Minneapolis, Tennant has overseen convention sales and marketing programs that bring direct economic impact of approximately of $900 million to the area. With an annual budget of $10 million and a staff of 50, he recently oversaw the effort of the organization with the Minnesota Twins to secure the 2014 Major League Baseball AllStar Game. He also played an integral role in laying the groundwork and implementing logistics for Minneapolis Saint Paul's successful hosting of the 2008 Repub-lican National Con-vention. Additionally, Tennant oversees the management and operations of iDSS, a private company that delivers a complete webbased series of software applications for destination marketing organizations, associations, hotels and corporations. Tennant has proved himself a leader in the travel industry with his current involvement on the boards of the U.S. Travel Association (USTA) and the Religious Conference Management Association (RCMA). Previously, he served on the boards of the American Society of Association Executives Center for Association Leadership (ASAE), Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the MPI Foundation and is a past chairman of the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI). Locally, he serves on the boards of Black Meetings & Tourism November/December 2013: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 51