Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/4253
Black Meetings & Tourism October/November 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com of 50 employees that specialize in convention sales and tourism marketing. He is a hospitality veteran with over 30 years in hotel industry executive positions. He serves on numerous boards throughout the Detroit region, including the Riverfront Conservancy, the Parade Company and the National Kidney Foundation. JESSIE ALLEN, general manager of the Orange County Convention Center, boasts a career that spans 32 years with Orange County, Florida. Seventeen years ago, Allen assumed the role of deputy director of the Orange County Convention Center. In this position, which was later renamed general manager, he is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the facility, the second-largest conven- tion center in the nation. In the early years of his career, Allen managed several departments within the Orange County Government structure. DON H. BARDEN is owner, chairman and CEO of Barden Companies, Inc., The Majestic Star and Fitzgeralds Casinos and Hotels, and Waycor Development Company. In December 2001, Barden acquired the Fitzgeralds Casino Hotel with properties in Las Vegas, Mississippi and Colorado; additionally acquir- ing Trump Indiana Casino and Hotel in 2005. His conglomerate operates in the casino, real estate development and entertainment industries from his corporate head- quarters in downtown Detroit. With a business career spanning more than 40 years, Barden is recognized as one of the top Black entrepreneurs in the country. He has guided Barden Companies and its affiliates from earnings of $600,000 to 2005 revenues of more than $519 million, making it one of the largest African- American-owned businesses in the country. Prior to establishing Barden Companies, Mr. Barden spent 20 years in Lorain, Ohio, where he became the first elected Black city councilman in Lorain history and served two terms before leaving to pursue other business endeavors. He found- ed a weekly newspaper, the Lorain County Times, and served five years as the publication's publisher and editor. As news anchor for WUAB-TV in Lorain and host of a weekly talk show for the NBC affiliate in Cleveland, Barden spent 11 years as an on-air personality in Ohio. STELLA BEENE-VENSON is the meetings and travel administrator for the United Methodist Church's General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. For the last 22 years, she's been the go-to person for setting up meetings for various organizations, committees and members of the church's organiza- tion and hierarchy. Her clients with- in the church range from youths considering the ministry, to women in the clergy, to the church's Board of Directors. Beene-Venson is a long time member of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners and serves as the organization's current president. ERNEST P. BOGER, CHA, FMP, CHE, CHA, FMP, CHE, is tenured associate professor and chairman of the Hotel & Restaurant Management(HRM) Department within the School of Business and Technology at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore(UMES), Princess Anne, MD. Dr. Boger exercises CEO accountability for a thriving Bachelor of Science Degree Program, designed to produce entry level managers for a variety of Foodservice, Lodging and Travel/Tourism related professional careers. Prior to UMES, he held leadership roles with Bethune- Cookman, South Carolina, West Indies and Wiley Universities as well as The Jamaica Hotel School/Hotel Casa Monte, Kingston, Jamaica and Parry Property Management Co. of Dallas, TX. Under his recent leader- ship, UMES was accredited by the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) as the 20th University nationwide, and the First HBCU, to offer the Bachelor of Science Degree in Professional Golf Management. Similarly, the overall HRM degree program was guided to ACPHA accredita- tion earlier this year. With 40+ years of industry opera- tions and training expertise, he is recognized as the "Dean" of Black College Hospitality Educators. Dr. Boger regularly provides consulting services in hospitality marketing and training to U.S., Caribbean, and African companies and governments. He has held leadership posi- tions with more than 20 major industry organizations, including currently, the Professional Certification Commissions of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), and the National Restaurant Association (NRA). A prolific writer, Dr. Boger has authored 10 book chapters and more than 100 articles on industry subjects Since last year's issue, he has received the BM&T/TPOC APEX Award and was designated a Certified Hotel Administrator(CHA) Emeritus by the AH&LA. The first African American to be so recognized. 46