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39 B M & T ••• March/April 2015 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com Doty began her career in the hospitality industry while attending the College of the Virgin Islands. In 1993, Nicholson-Doty joined the St. Thomas-St. John Hotel & Tourism Association as its Executive Director. In this position, her responsibilities included spearheading the implementation and development of the Association's strategic plan. Nicholson-Doty oversaw the unifica- tion of the St. Thomas-St. John Hotel & Tourism Association with the St. Croix Hotel & Tourism Association to create an integrated Association that strengthens the entire U.S. Virgin Islands hotel product while recognizing the unique offerings of each island. In 2004, she was appointed President of the USVI Hotel & Tourism Association. Nicholson-Doty has served as Commissioner of the USVI Department of Tourism since 2007, and as Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Council of Ministers and Commissioners from October 2012 to September 2014. GREGORY A. O'DELL serves as the president and chief executive officer of Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia. Events DC owns and operates the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, the historic Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium and the surrounding Festival Grounds, and the non-military functions of the DC Armory. The organi- zation also built and now serves as landlord for Nationals Park, the first LEED-certified major professional sports stadium in the United States, and administers the historic Carnegie Library at Mt. Vernon Square. The Government of the District of Columbia created the quasi-public Events DC in October 2009 through the merger of the Washington Convention Center Authority and the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission. Mr. O'Dell has the unique experience of leading both organizations as part of his public service in the District of Columbia. As president and CEO, Mr. O'Dell oversees Events DC's three lines of busi- ness: Conventions and Meetings, Sports and Entertainment, and Special Events. His primary responsibilities include over- sight of the development and promotion of hospitality, athletic, entertainment and cul- tural activities that generate economic and community benefits for the residents and businesses of District of Columbia. Prior to the merger, Mr. O'Dell served as chief executive officer and general man- ager of the Washington Convention Center Authority, where he was responsi- ble for the operations of the 2.3-million- square-foot Convention Center, an award- winning facility that sees approximately one million visitors each year and has gen- erated nearly $3 billion in direct delegate spending since opening in 2003. Mr. O'Dell was also responsible for the Authority's development efforts, having led negotiations with the selected private developer in the $520 million public-pri- vate partnership for the 1,175-room, 46- suite Washington Marriott Marquis Convention Center hotel, which broke ground in November 2010. and developments in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Las Vegas and Miami Beach. Donahue, who has been featured in numerous publications and appears regu- larly on CNN, CNBC and FOX, is also a top-selling author. His first book, The Peebles Principles, distills the lessons he learned on the road to building his success- ful company and personal fortune. His first-person accounts of his most intriguing deals illustrate the principles that guide Mr. Peebles in all of his transactions. His sec- ond book, The Peebles Path to Real Estate Wealth, released in September 2008, out- lines the fundamental tools for real estate investing and details how to make money in any market. Peebles currently serves on the National Finance Committee of President Barack Obama. R. DONAHUE PEEBLES, recog- nized as one of the most successful entre- preneurs in the nation, is the owner of The Peebles Corporation, the country's largest African-American real estate development company with a $4 billion development portfolio of luxury hotels, high-rise resi- dential and Class A commercial properties CHERYL RICHARDS serves as sen- ior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer (CDIO) for the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau (Dallas CVB). In this position, the 25-year Bureau veteran creates and implements a strategic plan to elevate the DCVB as a leader in diversity and inclusion at the local, national and international levels. She reports to Dallas CVB president and CEO Phillip Jones and serves as the liaison to the Diversity & Inclusion Ad-hoc committee, chaired by Monica R. Alonzo, Councilmember, City of Dallas. Part of the Dallas CVB's mission is to market Dallas as the ideal convention and visitor destination for women, multicultural, multigenera- tional and LGBT groups. Richards most recently served as Dallas CVB's vice president of Strategic Alliances responsible for establishing the member- ship sales and service standard for the