Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/3108
ELLIOT FERGUSON serves as senior vice president of Convention Sales and Services for the Washington, DC Convention and Tourism Corporation (WCTC). In this posi- tion, Ferguson directs and manages the activities of WCTC's conven- tion sales and services staff as they promote Washington, D.C. as a pre- mier meeting and convention desti- nation. Ferguson is also charged with developing the corporation's convention sales strategy and working with local hotel properties to further build business for individual hotels in the metro area. A 19-year veteran of the CVB industry, Ferguson has been with the WCTC since December 2001. Prior to work- ing at the WCTC 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 TANYA HALL works as the execu- tive director of the Philadelphia Multicultural Affairs Congress (MAC), a division of the PCVB, to ensure that Philadelphia's multicul- tural communities are included in every aspect of the Philadelphia hospitality industry. Since MAC's inception in 1987 as the first division of a CVB in the nation, the MAC and PCVB have measured an increase of more than 800% in multicultural bookings, result- ing in an economic impact of more than $1 billion. AVA GARDNER is currently the director of citywide marketing for the City of Kansas City, Missouri and handles the overall marketing efforts for the City. Gardner pre- viously was director of sales and marketing at the Kansas City Convention and Entertainment Centers, which is a department of the City of Kansas City, Missouri. There she was responsible for the sales and marketing efforts of the convention facilities. Previously Gardner was citywide sales manager at the Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, charged with selling and marketing to national organizations and companies to convene in Denver for conventions and meetings. She also served on the Tier III Denver County Cultural Council (Science and Facilities Cultural District), which distributed grants to art and cultural entities. Her current position involves selling Kansas City as a meeting and business destination. She creates marketing plans, messaging, and strategies for the city under the direction of the city manager's office, and supports mar- keting and convention efforts involving local and national member participation. Gardner cultivates and manages external relationships with industry partners, corporate partners, and ad agencies, as well as political entities with- in the city. She is a Certified Meeting Professional, which is a professional certification provided by the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA). Gardner is also a member of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners (NCBMP) for which she serves on the Conference Planning Committee, Professional Convention Management Association, International Association of Assembly Managers, and the American Society of Association Executives . 60 Black Meetings & Tourism April/May 2008: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com SARA B. HAMLIN has been in the tourism industry for more than 20 years. She has been vice president of Tourism for the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau for eight years. Hamlin is responsible for pro- moting and booking motor coach business, family reunions, imple- DONNA GLOVER is a native New Orleanian, enjoying a career of 18 years promoting her hometown of New Orleans with the New Orleans CVB. Glover returned home after spending five years in Washington, DC. Her responsibilities as director of Association Sales, includes handling convention center business, in all mar- kets. Glover also has the responsibili- ty of working with five sales managers in the placement of con- vention center business. The New Orleans Convention Bureau continues its role as the leader in putting New Orleans back on the map as one of the countries major convention destination. MICHAEL GUNN, CMP is the vice president of Convention Sales for the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau. In this position he is responsible for the day-to-day opera- tions of the Convention Sales staff in booking state, regional, national and international convention business for the Greater Birmingham area. He supervises a staff of 14, and prepares monthly, quarterly and annual sales and marketing business plans. Gunn is a board member of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners (NCBMP) and a former member of the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) founda- tion board. He has over 26 years of industry experience.