Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/704649
ANA APONTE-CURTIS serves as chairperson of National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners. After 47 years with the NAACP, Aponte-Curtis has retired as vice presi- dent, Events Planning. During her tenure with the NAACP, she was responsible for directing the internal operation of the Events Planning Department, implementing approved objectives, plans and policies, provided the overall management and budgetary oversights for all NAACP events, including conferences, meeting, travel, vendor negotia- tions, logistics, exhibits and entertainment. The National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners is an organ- ization dedicated to providing the best tools for meeting planners to succeed and further their careers, as well as to provide valuable content, new, cutting-edge information and to facilitate meaning- ful networking opportunities. Aponte-Curtis is an independent planner providing planning services to various organizations such as housing, meal functions, security, meeting space and diversity issues. 25 B M & T ••• March/April 2016 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com ORLANDO ASHFORD serves as president of Holland America Line, leading the award-winning cruise line's brand and business, including its fleet of 15 premium vessels carry- ing approximately 850,000 guests annually to all seven continents. Ashford oversees Holland America Line's sales and marketing, revenue management, deployment and itiner- ary planning, public relations, hotel operations and strategy. Prior to joining Holland America Line, Ashford was pres- ident of the Talent Business Segment for Mercer, the global consulting leader in talent, health, retirement and invest- ments. Previous to Mercer he served as senior vice president, chief human resources and communications officer of Mercer's parent company, Marsh & McLennan Companies. Ashford also has held several other leadership roles during the course of his career, including group director of human resources for 90 countries in Eurasia and Africa for the Coca- Cola Company and vice president Corporate Center human resources and cultural transformation. Previously he was vice president of global human resources strategy and organiza- tional development for Motorola Inc., where he helped mod- ernize the human resources function for the global tech leader. Ashford is on the Board of Directors for global manufac- turing company ITT Corp. He was named to the "Directorship 100" of the National Association of Corporate Directors in 2013 and 2014, and is a Purdue University School of Technology Distinguished Alumnus. An active community supporter, he is on the board of directors of the Executive Leadership Council, the preeminent membership organization for the development of global black leaders; S ' IT TRO VER DE DISCO WN MUSEUM O T MO OF TRUSTEES ARD O B LLEN RAWLS A y more stories throughout and there are man ld, or w ed the v acy that mo of a musical leg e c a l p h rt i b e h t es v hich preser w wn Museum, sounds of the Moto s influence stands as strong as the Detroit' . VERY TURN E T RE AT O E AND M C N E INFLU AL C OUSE OF MUSI TLE H G LIT ZIN A AM S ' IT TRO VER DE DISCO allen. reat ers n, H. t . Y. meetdetroit.com/allen. y at s whole stor w Allen's ie . V comeback city. great s America' ver Detroit, Disco . ner y cor er v waiting around e onde wide w ld or ou'll nd w y wn, wn and Corkto Mexicanto w y to Greekto American Histor African Museum of t h g i r W les H From the Char American National Museum. Arab the Culture and contributions are celebrated at y Ford. Henr The wcased at ers are sho y and its mak Histor . The D ER M A Y BACK CIT E COM T AT E S GR ' A RIC