Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/4253
Black Meetings & Tourism October/November 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com BENNISH D. BROWN is executive director of the Rock Hill/York County Convention and Visitors Bureau in Rock Hill, SC. He was hired as the organization's first executive director in June of 2000 after the official merger of the York County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Rock Hill Sports Council. Brown's primary duties are to oversee the daily operations of the CVB, with specific responsibility for supervising activities that mar- ket York County to the sports, group tour, meetings and leisure traveler tourism segments. Prior to joining the tourism industry, Brown worked in public relations and media relations for 19 years, and held a number of positions in the communications field. RONNIE BURT serves as senior VP of Sales & Services for the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association. Burt touts more than 20 years of experience in the tourism and hospitality industry. In his current role Burt is charged with growing Indianapolis' conven- tion business and selling the 13th largest city in the U.S. His broad experience allows Indianapolis to more aggressively sell the expanding convention cen- ter — which is doubling in size — and the city's new hotel growth. Prior to the Indy CVA, Burt served as the VP of sales & services for the Baltimore Area CVA, as well as interim pres- ident & CEO, where he managed a staff of more than 50 employees and a $9 million budget. Burt began his career as a marketing executive at Caesars Hotel and Casino. He is an active member of several professional industry associations, including the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners (NCBMP) and Meeting Professionals International (MPI). CLARA CARTER , native San Diegan and 20-year busi- ness and hospitality veteran. is president and founder of the Multi- Cultural Convention Services Network (MCCSN), Inc., a San Diego-based for profit destina- tion/meeting management organi- zation. MCCSN's focus is on mar- keting and promoting the city of San Diego and other cities abroad to national associations and leisure travelers from primarily diverse ethnic and religious organizations. In addition Carter is the founder and executive producer of San Diego's Multicultural FAM Tour, the first of its kind in the area and one of the only independent destination management companies who specif- ically specializes this underserved market segment. Prior to establishing MCCSN, Carter spent 21 years with a major corporation in San Diego before launching into the entrepreneur world and establishing Creative Visions Meetings and Events, a full service meeting and event man- agement company. Carter is a much sought after speaker and industry expert on issues surrounding multicultural tourism and diversity. She has been recognized by Black Meetings and Tourism for her leadership and professionalism in the hospitality industry, Local recognitions include, 2008 recipient of the San Diego Phenomenal Woman Award and in 2007 she received the Meeting Planner of the Year award from the International Association of Hispanic Meeting Professionals. Carter is a 2009 grant recipient from the San Diego Tourism Marketing Promotion Corporation. She is charged by the TMD board with facilitating the city of San Diego's marketing outreach efforts to the multicultural tourism market. WANDA COLLIER-WILSON is president and chief executive officer of the Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau, a position she has served in since 1998. She leads a 22-member staff that includes the management and staff of the Mississippi Telecom- munications & Conferencing Center. Collier-Wilson joined the CVB 24 years ago as receptionist and has held every position at the Bureau prior to becoming presi- dent and CEO. Collier-Wilson has been nation- ally recognized by JET magazine and Black Meetings & Tourism magazine for her leadership as a tourism profession- al, and recognized regionally and statewide by a number of other organizations, including the Mississippi Development Authority-Division of Tourism, which inducted her into its Tourism Hall of Fame in 2006. She was a 2006 recipient of the Phenomenally She award in the Business Leader category for The Dr. Jessie Bryant Mosley Award of Excellence Exhibit presented by Smith Robertson Museum & Cultural Center. Collier-Wilson was also named one of Mississippi's "50 Leading Business Women" in 2006 by the Mississippi Business Journal. Under her leadership, the Jackson CVB was named "2005 Mississippi CVB of the Year" and won a Readers' Choice Award in 2006 from Convention South mag- azine as one of the South's top CVBs. The Mississippi Tourism Association recognized Collier-Wilson with an Excellence in Tourism Award in 2004. Currently, she serves as president of the Mississippi Tourism Association and is a member of Destination Marketing Association International, Metro Jackson 47