Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/3108
WANDA D. PAUL, CPA is senior vice president of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PCVB). She is responsible for the administration of the PCVB's budget; oversight of all financial operations; technological improve- ments; personnel administration for their 60 employees and coordi- nation of all office purchasing, administrative and legal matters. She also oversees the Membership Department as well as devel- opment programs. Paul began her career as an auditor for Deliotte Haskins and Human Resource Management and a Bachelors Degree in Labor Management Relations from the State University of New York. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi and Sigma Pi Phi fraternities. Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau, both in Columbus, OH and Washington, DC. Laurie has a BS in Communi-cations from Ohio University. She is a founding member of two industry organ- izations: Just Because – a networking group for meeting plan- ners of color in the Washington, DC hospitality industry and the Network of Latino Meeting Professionals, a not for-profit organization for Hispanic meeting planners. Laurie is a mem- ber of several other industry associations, including the American Society for Association Executives, Association of Meeting Professionals, International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association, Meeting Professionals International, National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners, Professional Convention Management Association and Society of Government Meeting Professionals. KEVIN P. OWENS serves as director of National Sales for the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau. Owens has strong hospitality industry creden- tials with more than 20 years of experi- ence. Prior to joining the Dallas CVB in 2001, he worked at flagship proper- ties for Wyndham, Westin and Hyatt Hotels, respectively. As director of National Sales, Owens spearheads the citywide sales effort for the West Coast Corporate and Association, Religious and African-American Markets. His strategic initiatives have been instrumental in Dallas' prominent position as a Top 5 Destination for African-American Travelers. Owens has led the bureau's charge in creating the new African American Visitors Guide and corresponding website, www.visit - blackdallas.com. Owens serves as staff liaison in the bureau's long standing partnership with the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce (the nation's oldest Black Chamber) to market Dallas as a preemi- nent destination for African American conventions and visitors. Owens previously served as chairman of the Site Selection Committee for the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners and served on the Advisory Board for the Christian Meetings & Convention Association. AVA M. POPE is director of Sales for the Greensboro Area Convent-ion & Visitors Bureau. Her primary responsibilities include spearheading the sales effort in the solicitation of all types of meeting, conventions and events for Greensboro, North Carolina. Her primary target markets are the minority and cor- porate areas. A long-time veteran of the hospitality industry, Pope previously worked with the Potomac Hotel Group in Washington, DC as Director of Sales and Marketing. She is a member of many professional associations, including the National Forum for Black Public Administrators. MICHAEL MUNN was appointed chief of staff and director of Business Development for the Boston Convention Marketing Center (BCMC) in the Spring of 2004 by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. Munn is responsible for business management and developing pro- grams in support of the BCMC and implementing diversity initia- tives that focus on Boston's multicultural and multinational qualities. During his 20-plus years in the Meetings industry, he has held positions with the National Managed Health Care Congress; vice president of Sponsorship Programs, International Data Group (IDG); show director for ComNET DC and ComNET San Francisco and manager of Business Development & Partner Alliances at the Hurwitz Group, a strategic e-business marketing, research and con- sulting company. Black Meetings & Tourism April/May 2008: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 63 LAURIE NELSON-CHOICE has been with VISIT Milwaukee since January 2000. As Director of Eastern Regional Sales, Laurie manages the satellite office opera- tions in Washington, DC and gen- erates leads for associations, cor- porations and government organi- zations in the Washington, DC, Virginia and Maryland territories. In addition, Laurie also generates leads for the multicultural market all around the country. Prior to VISIT Milwaukee, Laurie worked with the Greater