The Association Executives of North Carolina (AENC) has announced that the convention sales manager for the Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau was named the 2011-2012 Patsy B. Smith Award winner.
John W. Sneed, II, winner of the award, sells the Wilmington Convention Center, the largest convention center on the North Carolina coast, as a convention and meeting site to state, regional and national markets.
The AENC is dedicated to providing professional development and networking opportunities to help its members across North Carolina reach their fullest potential.
This award recognizes John’s outstanding professionalism and exemplary service to the association community. The AENC hosted its successful 2011 annual meeting at the Wilmington Convention Center, which opened its doors in January 2011 and boasts 107,000 square feet of meeting space. John’s exceptional leadership and service were integral in bringing the AENC to the waterfront facility, making the AENC one of the first statewide groups to hold a meeting at the convention center during its inaugural year.
In conjunction with the Wilmington Convention Center staff and facility, John helped the AENC achieve record member attendance at the June 2011 annual meeting. With the building’s full in-house catering services, sophisticated maritime décor, Cape Fear River backdrop and Southern charm, AENC members enjoyed their time at the Wilmington Convention Center as well as in Wilmington and its three island beaches (Carolina, Kure and Wrightsville beaches).
Sneed has been a dedicated AENC member for 12 years, and has also served on and chaired a number of AENC committees for the association, including the Board of Directors.
“John Sneed is truly a pleasure to work with,” said Susan Eaton, general manager of the Wilmington Convention Center. “As a sales manager, he provides thorough information and service to our staff as well as meeting planners, leaving no stone unturned. Wilmington and the island beaches have truly benefited as a result of John’s strong work ethic and perseverance, and the area continues to grow as a popular meeting and convention destination.”
