MPI Northern California Chapter Board Slate

Transcription

1 MPI Northern California Chapter Board Slate The MPI Northern California Chapter Nominating Committee has selected the following individuals, whom we believe to have the skills, dedication and integrity to provide outstanding leadership to our chapter during their term of office. Please be aware that as a member in good standing you have the right to review and challenge the slate of directors as indicated in the chapter bylaws. If positions remain uncontested, the slate of officers will be considered approved by a unanimous vote after 30 days. Please congratulate and thank these members for their service. Officers The following slate of officers is elected by the Chapter Board of Directors. They are identified in this communication so members can view the full board proposed for the upcoming term. Position Name and Company Term (Insert Dates) President Marilee Sonneman, CMP, DMCP Spotlight Events, Inc. President Elect Lucy Giovando Watts, CMP, CMM Giovando Watts & Company, Inc./LASSO40, Inc. Immediate Past President Joey Nevin Giants Enterprises Vice President Finance Lucinda Mendoza, CMP Annual Reviews Vice President Membership Stewart Hall Rock the Stars Vice President Communications Linda Lingenfelter, CHME Wyndham Hotel Group Vice President Education Gary Murakami, GTP, GLP, CMP MGM Resorts International Directors (Board members) The following slate of Board members is elected by the membership of the Chapter. This slate will be deemed elected by unanimous vote unless the slate is challenged as outlined in the chapter bylaws. Position Name and Company Term (Insert Dates) Brian Bouchelle Disney Resort Destinations Kathleen (Kat) Maier, CMP Independent Chelsea Marshburn, CMP AlliedPRA Northern California Samah Menoufy Wynn Encore Michael Trillo, CTA Sheraton Sonoma County-Petaluma

2 Paula Zimmer, CMP Team San Jose Please direct any questions to: Lori Kinsey, CMP, Executive Director, MPINCC, A copy of the Chapter bylaws can be viewed at:

3 MPINCC PROPOSED BOARD OF DIRECTORS SLATE BIOS PRESIDENT Marilee Sonneman, CMP, DMCP, Founder, Spotlight Events Consulting, Inc. Marilee Sonneman brings 20 years experience and acumen in corporate events, incentive travel, and destination management. An alumna of San Francisco State University, Marilee pursued graduate and undergraduate studies in Classical Archaeology. She holds credentials as Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and Certified Destination Management Professional (DMCP), and contributed to the Convention Industry Council Manual 9th Edition: A Working Guide for Effective Meetings and Conventions. In 2010, she founded Spotlight Events Consulting, Inc. An MPI member since 2001, and the MPINCC Meeting Professional of the Year , Marilee has served as MPINCC President-Elect , MPI World Education Congress 2015 Host Committee Co- Chair of Marketing, MPINCC VP of Finance , and other leadership roles. She was appointed for four years to the Certification & Accreditation Board of the Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI). Having led the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence Northern California Chapter (SITENCC) as two-term President 2014 and 2015, Marilee also serves as SITENCC Immediate Past President PRESIDENT-ELECT Lucy Giovando Watts, CMP, CMM, CEO & Founder, Giovando Watts & Company, Inc./LASSO40, Inc. Lucy is the owner and founder of Giovando Watts & Company, Inc. a Global Meetings and Event Management Company, headquartered in the Bay Area, with offices in Denver and Chicago. Lucy has over eighteen years of meeting and event experience and has both her CMP and CMM designations. Prior to owning her own business, Lucy worked for a technology company as Director of Worldwide Events and as a Field Representative for a Member of Congress. Lucy has a long history of commitment to the environment and social organizations. In addition to her membership in the Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC), she has served on the Board of Directors for Marin Brain Injury Network and the Northern California Chapter of MPI. She has also served on the APEX Green Standards On-Site Offices Sub-Committee and several volunteer committees for the local chapter of the American Cancer Society. VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE Lucinda Mendoza, CMP, Meeting Planner, Annual Reviews Lucinda s fifteen plus years as a planner evolved from marketing to meeting logistics - within many different industries outdoor recreation, technology, automotive and now, scientific publishing. After five years serving as Annual Reviews first and only meeting planner, Lucinda is looking forward to developing a new Meetings team this year to accommodate the company s growing demand

4 Lucinda joined MPINCC in 2008 but didn t learn until 2010 that you get out what you put in and the only way to fully maximize your membership is to get involved. She has since served on various MPINCC committees Education, Membership, and Leadership Development and is proud to be on the MPINCC Board of Directors for the past three years. Lucinda earned her Certified Meeting Professional designation (CMP) in 2011 and has been recognized as MPINCC s Tomorrow s Leader, MPINCC Meeting Professional of the 2nd Quarter and MPINCC Board Member of the Year. Lucinda, in her rare spare time, is enjoying her new role as a volunteer for Pound Puppy Rescue and has, recently, rediscovered her love for the outdoors - spending most weekends hiking the beautiful trails of Northern California. VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS Linda A. Lingenfelter, CHME, Regional Director of Business Development, Wyndham Hotel Group As Regional Director of Business Development for the Wyndham Hotel Group, Linda Lingenfelter, CHME, is responsible for developing new group meeting business opportunities for a portfolio of Wyndham hotels across the country, and has sourced over $15M potential revenue in new group business. Prior to joining the Wyndham Hotel Group, Mrs. Lingenfelter was the Vice President of Sales for the Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau, where she was instrumental in facilitating connections between meeting planners and community stakeholders, promoting group meeting business for the entire county, and inspiring a team of 11 sales and service managers. Mrs. Lingenfelter has worked in the hospitality and tourism industry for over 20 years. She knows the industry from a variety of perspectives, and has held positions as General Manager, Director of Sales & Marketing, and Vice President of Sales. She has supervised and trained sales teams of 5 to 35 associates, and developed the Group market in all market segments across the country. Mrs. Lingenfelter is Past-President of the 425-member Arizona Sunbelt Chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPI), two-time President of the Arizona Chapter of Hospitality Sales & Marketing International (HSMAI), has planned numerous industry events, taught Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification courses, and has lectured at Scottsdale Community College, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University. Believing in giving back to her community she is also two-time Past- President of the Children s Angel Foundation, and past Secretary of the Tempe Police Foundation. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and a loyal Steelers football fan; Mrs. Lingenfelter fell in love with the West when she arrived in Arizona in She enjoys riding the Harley with her husband Larry, hiking, golf, spa days, wine tasting and everything California has to offer. VICE PRESIDENT, EDUCATION Gary Murakami, GTP, GLP, CMP, Director, Global Sales, MGM Resorts International Gary Murakami is the Director of Global Sales for MGM Resorts International based in San Francisco focusing his efforts on the Northern California and Pacific Northwest market of the US for the convention and meetings segment for corporate, association, and third parties. A seasoned hospitality sales executive, Gary is also responsible for raising awareness for MGM Resorts International, as well as developing and maintaining key customer relationships and partnerships in his strategic territories. Gary s sales background includes previous sales and leadership positions with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, and Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts in the group, leisure and business travel segments

5 An active member in the global meetings, events and travel industry community, Gary has held a variety of leadership director and committee roles with several industry associations both locally and nationally. He has been on the MPINCC Board of Directors for the past few years and is currently serving as the VP Membership for Gary was also President of the PCMA Northern CA Chapter in 2014 and was elected to serve a three year term on the PCMA Board of Directors beginning January He also is serving on the board of Directors for the Bay Area Business Travel Association, having been a Chapter President for three years. Gary is also a member of the Convention Industry Council (CIC) APEX Standards Committee and is also a member of the MPI Chapter and Membership Advisory Council (CMAC). Gary actively pursues industry education and holds several industry-recognized certifications and designations. He most recently earned his Global Travel Professional (GTP) certification by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) in 2012, being the first group of industry professionals to receive this accreditation, as well as his Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation from the Convention Industry Council in Gary also earned his Global Leadership Professional (GLP) designation and certification, a master s level executive education program developed by the GBTA Foundation and holds a designation as a Certified Corporate Travel Executive (CCTE), designed specifically for business travel management professionals through GBTA. As an active learner of education, he plans to pursue his Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM) in VICE PRESIDENT, MEMBERSHIP Stewart Hall, Founder, Rock the Stars Stewart Hall is the Founder of Rock the Stars, a company that uses the power of music to boost team performance and build camaraderie. He is a skilled communicator, program designer, and entrepreneur. Prior to Rock the Stars, Stewart had a 20 year career in the high tech industry. Passionate about the value of meeting and events to business, Stewart joined MPI in 2004 and has been an active member of MPINCC since moving to the Bay Area in A life-long musician, Stewart plays drums in 2 bands and has performed at venues across North America. IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Joey Nevin, Director of Sales & Marketing, Giants Enterprises Joey Nevin is responsible for the sales and marketing of all private events hosted in and around AT&T Park as well as the daily Tours of ballpark and has worked in that capacity since Prior to joining Giants Enterprises, he worked for the Golden State Warriors in the Luxury Suites, Sales and Service Department as well as for the San Diego Padres. He is a graduate of the University of San Diego with degrees in both Business Administration and Communication Studies and also received a Master's degree in Sport Management from the University of San Francisco. Joey has been an active member of MPINCC since 2007 and has served on multiple committees: Co-Chair of the Student Affairs Committee in & , Chair of the Blackjack & Poker Casino Night in , Director, Fundraising/Sponsorship in , Vice President, Finance in both & , President-Elect and a member of the MPI WEC Host-Committee in 2015 as well as his current role of Chapter President. Joey is energized by his Chapter participation and looks forward his upcoming role of Immediate Past President as well as continuing the strong partnership that Giants Enterprises, MPINCC and the MPI Foundation share

6 DIRECTORS Brian Bouchelle, National Sales Director, Disney Resort Destinations Brian Bouchelle is a hospitality industry veteran with more than 22 years of experience in hotel sales, convention services and hotel operations. In his career, he has helped plan over 300 conferences, 200 weddings, as well as countless educational and social engagements He has worked behind the scenes with celebrities, entertainers and political figures including the late Maya Angelou who advised him never to jump into a car without a seat! He has worked with some of the leading brands in the industry including Sheraton, Doubletree, Hilton, Marriott and Wyndham before working with the number one entertainment company in the world, The Walt Disney Company. At Disney, Brian has worked for the Resort Sales division handling events from people. He has worked Religious, Corporate and Association conferences as well as special events that only Disney can do. In 2007 Brian opened up the California National Sales office for Disney Destinations based in Sacramento, CA and is their National Sales Director leading the office. During this time Brian has brought some of the largest and highest revenue generating meetings to both Walt Disney World in Florida and the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. He has also brought several incentive meetings to their newest destination, Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa. Brian was President of the Northern California Chapter of PCMA in 2011 and was the 2012 winner of the HERO award from the Northern California Chapter of PCMA which recognizes outstanding achievement in the industry. He is a graduate of Wake Forest University and the single father of two children, Veronica and Parker. Kathleen (Kat) Maier, CMP, Planner, Independent Kathleen (Kat) Maier, CMP, started her career as an Executive Assistant working for the NOW (National Organization for Women) Legal Defense Fund in New York. She then worked with the CFO of Continuum Health Partners which operates five hospitals, including Beth Israel Medical Center and St. Luke s- Roosevelt Hospital Center. Kat subsequently moved to New Jersey to be the Executive Assistant to the CFO at Dun & Bradstreet. In 2004, she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, continuing her career with Dun & Bradstreet where her responsibilities included planning meetings and events for the technology market sales team. Kat joined MPINCC in 2006 and has served on numerous committees. She was the Chair for the Member Care Committee in 2008 for two terms and was the Co-Chair for the Community Involvement Committee, Awards & Recognition Committee and the Education Special Projects Committee in the years that followed. In 2015, Kat was a member of the MPI WEC 15 Host Committee and the Co-Chair for the CSR Committee. She received her CMP in January Kat is an avid traveler and sports fan. Chelsea Marshburn, CMP, Senior Account Manager, AlliedPRA Northern California Chelsea s love of corporate event planning began while she was studying Recreation, Parks and Tourism at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. After graduating in 2009, she decided to pursue this passion and worked as an event coordinator for a medical management association and volunteered for the Northern California Chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPI). Through her activism with MPI she became acquainted with Destination Management and AlliedPRA. She joined the AlliedPRA Northern California team in 2011 and quickly proved that her easy going personality paired with her meeting planning background were the perfect match for a career in Destination Management. A Bay Area native, Chelsea wanted to explore what the East Coast had to offer and moved to Boston in In Boston she joined the AlliedPRA New England office and served on the Board of Directors for the New England Chapter of MPI, where she was awarded the Meeting Planner of the Year award for the year. After a few years in New England, Chelsea and her fiancé moved back to California in 2014 and the AlliedPRA Northern California team was elated to have her back! In her free time, Chelsea loves practicing her golf game, exploring the fantastic restaurants San Francisco offers and spending time with her family, especially her nephew! - 4 -

7 Samah Menoufy, Director of Regional Accounts West Coast, Wynn Encore Samah s passion for the hospitality industry started at a young age and has evolved into a career that allows her to do what she loves everyday. Samah is the Director of Regional Accounts for Wynn Las Vegas and Encore based in-market in the Bay Area. She is responsible for developing and maintaining key customer relationships and partnerships in the West Coast Market with a focus on Convention, Meeting, and Incentive groups. Prior to joining the Wynn Encore team, Samah worked for the InterContinental Hotels of San Francisco and prior to that The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay. Samah is a graduate from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in both Communication Studies and Business Administration. Samah has been an active member of MPINCC since She served as the Gala Chair in 2013 & 2014 and was recognized as the Meeting Professional of the Fourth Quarter She has also been an active participant and volunteer on the Membership Committee. In she served in the role of Director of Special Events, overseeing Thanks for Giving, the Annual Conference & Expo, Corks & Forks, and the Annual Gala. Samah has used her time volunteering with MPI as a tool to harness skills she does not focus on in her day to day job, specifically planning and detailing events as well as mentorship. Michael Trillo, CTA, Director of Sales and Marketing, Sheraton Sonoma County-Petaluma Michael Trillo is the Director of Sales and Marketing at the Sheraton Sonoma County in Petaluma, California. He has over eleven years of experience in the hospitality industry and four years of experience in restaurant/bar management. Michael has a Bachelor s Degree in Organizational Management from California State University, Stanislaus and Ashford University graduating Magna Cum Laude and is a member of the Alpha Sigma Lambda National Honor Society. He has served the chapter as the Auctions committee chair or co-chair four out of the last five years. In addition to his auction duties, he has also volunteered on other chapter committees over the last five years. Michael has served in leadership and committee roles with two other industry associations, SGMP and CalSAE. SGMP recognized him in 2013 with the Society s highest honor, the Sam Gilmer Supplier of the Year award. He is a passionate and accomplished speaker having presented on his knowledge of leadership, negotiations, contracts, and ethics to numerous industry organizations. Michael is a die-hard fan of the 5-time Super Bowl Champion San Francisco 49ers; the 2010, 2012, and 2014 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants; and the San Jose Sharks. Michael is truly passionate about his daughters Alexa and Seana, softball, and golf. Paula Zimmer, CMP, National Sales Manager, Team San Jose Paula has 11 years of hospitality sales experience and has been a National Sales Manager with Team San Jose for the past 5 years. Being a San Jose native, Paula feels passionate about promoting the city she grew up in. She s held her credentials as Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) since As an active member of MPINCC since 2012, Paula has served as a committee volunteer for the Corks & Culinary Collaboration event (2014/2015) and then Co-Chair of Corks & Forks (2015/2016). Volunteering has been an important part of Paula s life. She has worked Companion Animal Rescue Effort and for many years was a foster parent for Santa Clara County Social Services. Just recently, she helped collect school supply donations and provided backpacks full of those supplies to low-income elementary children at an East San Jose school. One of her favorite quotes is We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give Winston Churchill