Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/348155
33 B M & T ••• May/June 2014 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com JOHN ROLFE was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas. Since March 2012, John has served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau (GHCVB). Before joining GHCVB, John was the CEO and President of Go Wichita Convention & Visitors Bureau. He also has served as the vice president of Economic Development for the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce and as Deputy Secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce. During his eighteen years in the hospitality industry, he has served as Director of Finance and Administration at both the Wichita and San Jose (CA) Convention and Visitors Bureaus. Rolfe is a graduate of Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, holding a bachelor's degree in business administration and has been involved with various boards and civic organizations. He currently serves as a Board of Director for the Texas Travel Industry Association and a former Board Member of Destination Marketing Association International. ZITA STEGLICH-ROSS, CMP, director of Diversity Markets for Visit Orlando, has been with the organization since 1998 and has held key positions on the convention sales team including senior citywide account executive and director of convention sales. Her commitment and passion to sales and marketing are seen in her numerous accolades throughout her 30 year career. Steglich-Ross is a member of industry organizations such as the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners, MPI and PCMA. CALVIN TAYLOR is vice president of Government Relations for the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, where he works closely with state government, city offi- cials 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 south- east's largest pari-mutuel 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 recog- nition 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. ALBERT TUCKER serves as vice president of Multicultural Business Development for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB), where he is focused on ensuring that organizations and families of diverse backgrounds select Greater Fort Lauderdale as the destination of choice for confer- ences and family reunions. It is Tucker's vision to expose ethnically diverse individuals and groups to Greater Fort Lauderdale so that GFL becomes the destination of choice for individuals of color. Over the past 5 years Greater Fort Lauderdale has been a magnet for Family Reunions, where that seg- ment of the market has increased by more than 45%. Group business has expanded in a major way and the destination has welcomed or will welcome prestigious organizations such as the American Tennis Association (ATA) 2013, Progressive National Baptist Convention (PNBC) 2014, National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) 2014, 100 Black Men of America in 2014, and the National Urban League (NUL) in 2015. FLOYD WILLIAMS, JR., CMP, serves as director of National Accounts and Tradeshows for the Jackson (MS) Convention & Visitors Bureau. Williams' professional work includes organizations such as Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, NAACP, National Conference of Black Mayors, African Methodist Episcopal Church, Society of Black Academic Surgeons, The National Black Caucus of State Legislators and The USSSA Black American World Series. He serves on the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated Time & Place committee to project future locations for the biennial national convention and the fraternity's involvement with the Congressional Black Caucus activities. He serves in a similar capacity on the district and regional levels. Williams is active in the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Leadership Jackson Alumni Association and Jackson State National Alumni Association; he currently serves as a board chair for Our Community Salutes of Mississippi and the Alpha Foundation.