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•pg_3-12__BMT_pg3-58 1/8/14 6:19 PM Page 6 NEWSMAKERS SMG & FRANKLIN COUNTY CONVENTION FACILITIES AUTHORITY PROMOTE JOHN PAGE TO GENERAL MANAGER OF GREATER COLUMBUS CONVENTION CENTER SMG and the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority (FCCFA) announce the promotion of John R. Page to general manager of the Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC). He succeeds Craig M. Liston, who was promoted to regional vice president for SMG and is now responsible for overseeing an expanded regional network of SMG accounts. Liston will remain based in Columbus. As general manager, Page will have direct overall management responsibilities for the GCCC in regard to facility sales, finance, event coordination, parking and operations. He previously was the venue's assistant general manager/director of operations, a role he accepted in August 2010. In that role, Page was responsible for an $8 million annual operating budget, an eight-person management team and more than 100 full-time and part-time employees. "John's promotion is well-deserved and a natural progression for him," said Liston. "During his tenure, he has also played a significant role in assisting the operations of established and newly acquired SMG accounts in Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, San Juan, Shreveport and Jackson, providing them with a template of best practices to implement and measure." "I am humbled by this next step in my career, one made that more special as it takes place in the facility where I got my start with SMG. Craig has placed this organization on solid standing and I look forward to working with our top-notch staff and building upon that success as we strive daily to raise the bar of excellence that symbolizes the Greater Columbus Convention Center," Page said. Page held a variety of positions as project coordinator, projects manager and senior operations manager for the GCCC from 1998 to 2003. He then moved to Savannah, Georgia upon promotion to director of operations of the 330,000-sq. ft. Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, another SMG-managed facility. Page resided in Savannah for seven years, being promoted to the position of the facility's assistant general manager in 2006. He returned to Columbus in 2010 to accept a similar role at the 1.7 million-sq. ft. GCCC. A Dayton, Ohio native, Page is a graduate of The Ohio State University, earning a bachelor's degree in marketing and a master's degree in sports management. He and his wife Kelly, a middle school teacher with the Columbus City Schools, reside in Lewis Center with their three sons, Thomas, Quentin and Robert. "When we were selecting an assistant general manager in 2010 for the position in Columbus, John immediately came to mind for a variety of reasons," said Robert McClintock, SMG chief operating officer of convention centers. "Promoting him to the top management position for this facility as general manager rewards the excellence he achieved in his previous role and throughout his tenure with SMG." NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TAKES HELM Texas Association of Convention and Visitors Bureau Names New Leader r After several months searching for just the right candidate, the Texas Association of Convention and Visitors Bureau has found its next executive director in Dave Byerly. He is a 25-year-veteran in strategic and business development, marketing, operational efficiency and management. For more than 17 years, he has focused on designing regional growth strategies and leading non-profits organizations and associations. Byerly's performance and experience through Texas, Illinois and Arkansas has made him a recognized industry leader in building and driving comprehensive growth strategies and the right person for TACVB. "We are thrilled to welcome Dave to lead our organization," said Rebecca Ybarra-Ramirez, TACVB chair. "This hire reinforces our commitment to support and assist in the development of the convention and travel industry through education and sharing of ideas. Dave's skill set and experience will enable us to help the industry in new ways and cultivate relations with other travel association leaders." 6 B M & T ••• November/December 2013 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com