Black Meetings and Tourism

Jan/Feb2011

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DEBRA NELSON NAMED TO LIST OF “TOP 100 EXECUTIVES IN AMERICA” Uptown Professional Magazine has named hospitality and gaming executive Debra Nelson to its list of the top 100 executives in corporateAmerica. Nelson,who is vice president of Corporate Diversity & CommunityAffairs forMGM Resorts International, is the only gaming executive to be named to the list. The feature article, titled “Top 100 Executives in America” is the cover story of the inaugural issue of the publication recently released. According to Uptown Professional Publisher Robert Ingram, the list resists singling out just the most senior persons of color in an organization. “Our recognition indicators identify those high achievers whose work typically goes unsung behind titles that too often belie the full value of their responsibilities,” said Ingram. “It should be noted that a shared trait of our selected leaders are core values like authentic leadership, giving back, bringing new blood into the company and helping them advance up the ladder, along with an active and open-style participation in the community,” he said. Nelson, who has worked at MGM Resorts since 2005, previously held positions related to diversity and com- munication management at DaimlerChrysler, the Chrysler Group, Mercedes-Benz USA and Mercedes-Benz US International where she helped introduce the company and its new product to a global market. Under her lead- ership, MGM Resorts, has gained national recognition for its exemplary diversity initiative. She is the immediate past president of the Urban Chamber of Commerce in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she played an instrumental role in developing a business incubator program in partnership with the City of Las Vegas. The facility will incubate developing businesses and is expected to create jobs for low and moderate income residents. Her substantial board service in the Las Vegas community includes the College of Southern Nevada Foundation (CSN), Boys and Girls Clubs of Nevada, Nevada HAND, Las Vegas Urban League and the KB Home Community Advisory Board. Just recently she was named to the Inclusive Excellence Advisory Board established by Dan Klaisch, Chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education. The group is expected to make recommendations to help ensure that the state’s public higher education system is positioned to recruit, retain and educate students for the workforce of the future. JEAN TRACY, FUN, PERSUASIVE, CREATIVE, AND OVERACHIEVER. Jean Tracy is employed by Fern Exposition and Event Services, a general contractor service provider. Fern has been in business for over 100 years with 21 locations and affil- iates. Her primary focus is tomeet the needs of customers thru the sales process of select- ing a decorator, providing guidance direction, ideas and services, while helping them learn the Fern brand. Tracy has strong sales andmarketing background,with a degree in Political Science (she can really debate the issues). Tracy spent over 20 years in Salt Lake City,with 16 of those working for the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau; she was with the Houston Convention Bureau for 2.5 years,where she was consistently a top producer in sales, in her primarymarket, scientif- ic all over the country. Currently,Tracy lives inAustin with her husband Raymond of 25 years. They have five boys and two grand- children.Devin is the only onewith a brain at 12 years;he is her only reason towork. Tracy is currently involved in CESSE, and is the only supplier to receive two Presidential Citations, honoring her work and involvement with the group. She is also a member of PCMA,ASAE andMPI. She enjoys going to Haiti twice a year work- ing onHumanitarianmissions, helping the poor and the kids in the orphanages. She is an avid runner, biker and shopper. Nothing is to challenging for her,with her creative insight and knowledge of people in the industry. 6 Black Meetings & Tourism January/February 2011: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com NEWSMAKERS

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