B M & T ••• March/April 2018 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com
5
COVER STORY
• KEN LAWSON KEEPS FLORIDA'S
MEETINGS & TOURISM MOMENTUM
GOING FULL SPEED AHEAD
FEATURES
• AFRICAN-AMERICAN GUIDE TO MEETINGS,
INCENTIVES AND TRAVELING IN THE SOUTH
•TEXAS GOLD SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
• HOW TO EFFECTIVELY TARGET THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MARKET
AREA GUIDES
ILLINOIS, DENVER, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,
MISSOURI, BVI
PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Solomon J. Herbert
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/
EDITOR
Gloria Herbert
GRAPHIC DESIGN: POP MEDIA
GROUP
Robert Ingram
GRAPHIC ARTIST/WEBMASTER
Solomon J. Hebert II
FOCUS ON M.I.C.E. EDITOR
Matthew Thomas
RELIGIOUS REVIEW EDITOR
Patrice Kelly
TECH NEWS EDITOR
William G. Herbert
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Rebecca Bernard
Edith Billups
Victoria Head
Brienne Herbert
Roy Jay
Cheray O'Neal
SALES MANAGERS
Regina Buggs
Willa Robinson
MARKETING/EDITORIAL
CONSULTANT'S
Hank Harris
Andrew Ingraham
O.J. Webb
OFFICE MANAGER
Dorothy Canty
HUMAN RESOURCES
Barbara Harper
For high quality article
reprints of 100 or more,
please contact
Reprint Management
Services at (717)399-1900.
March 4 2nd Annual Voices of
Freedom Concert, Boston, MA.
https://vilnashul.org/events/event/voi
ces-of-freedom-2018
March 5-6 Connect Chicago, Hyatt
Regency Chicago. Chicago, IL. http://-
www.connectmarketplace.com/chica-
go.html
March 13-14 Connect California,
Resort at Squaw Creek, North Lake
Tahoe, CA. http://www.connectcali-
forniameetings.com/
March 13-14 Connect Mountain/-
Incentive, The Resort at Squaw Creek,
North Lake Tahoe, CA. http://www.-
connectmarketplace.com/mountain-
incentive.html
March 22-24 Women Leadership
Development Master Class, Kimmel
Center, New York University, New
York, NY. For more information email
Furo Giami at furo.giami@celdng.org.
March 24-28 Black, Brown &
College Bound Summit, Tampa
Marriott Waterside, Tampa, FL. (813)
253-7000
March 28-29 Black Women in
Media, New York, NY. www.bwim-
awards.com
March 29-31 Women Leadership
Development Master Class, Kimmel
Center, New York University, New
York, NY. For more information email
Furo Giami at furo.giami@celdng.org.
April 10-12 B2B Mediagrowth
Summit 2018, Renaissance Chicago
O'Hare Suites Hotel, Chicago, IL.
h t t p : / / m e d i a g r o w t h . c o m / m e d i a
-
growth-summit
April 12 Global Meetings Industry
Day (GMID) brings together leaders
from across the meetings and events
industry, showcasing the impact that
meetings and events have on the global
economy. Held in various locations
across the globe. http://meetingsmean
-
business.com/GMID/events.
April 14-17 ASTA Destination
Expo, Athens, Greece. www.ASTA.org-
/ADE
April 16-17 31st Annual Asia Pacific
Outlook Business Conference (APBO),
LA Hotel Downtown, Los Angeles, CA.
http://apboconference.com/register/
April 18-19 Connect Rockies, Omni
Interlocken, Bloomfield, CO. https://-
connectmeetings.events/event.cfm?id=
2996
April 21 Black Business Expo on
Tour, Ontario Convention Airport
Hotel, Ontario, CA. (866) 493-3394 or
www.scbbe.com
April 21-22 The African American
Leadership Weekend Conference,
Holiday Inn Sacramento, Sacramento,
CA. http://www.calbcc.org/events
April 28 Dallas Knowledge is Power
Business Conference, Dallas, TX.
www.eventbrite.com/e/knowledge-is-
power-conference-blueprint-for-busi-
ness-excellence-tickets-42357078161
May 17-18 South Coast EDCON,
Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa,
Carlsbad, CA. For more information
contact Meeting Professionals Inter-
national, Orange County & San Diego
Chapters at info@mpioc.com.
July 22 Black Business Expo on
Tour, Ontario Convention Airport
Hotel, Ontario, CA. (866) 493-3394 or
www.scbbe.com
July 25-27 22nd Annual
International African American Hotel
Ownership & Investment Summit &
Trade Show, presented by (NAB-
HOOD), Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay
Hotel, Miami, FL. www.NABHOOD-
.com
July 27-29 5th Annual Inter-
national Multicultural & Heritage
Tourism Summit & Trade Show,
Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay Hotel,
Miami, FL. www.Multicultural-
TourismSummit.com
The Authority on African-American
Conventions & Leisure Travel
MARCH/APRIL 2018
Meeting and incentive planners can keep abreast of
discount offers and package deals being offered by visiting
Black Meetings & Tourism's website – blackmeetingsand-
tourism.com – and clicking on the "Meeting Planner
Packages" link. Here you will find many cost saving and
often time sensitive deals that can help you bring your
meeting in on time and under budget.
MEETING PLANNER PACKAGES FOR GREAT SAVINGS
COMING IN: MAY/JUNE 2018
B L A C K M E E T I N G S T O U R I S M
