Honoring an executive each year for their ongoing ardor and commitment to convention services and the meetings industry, the Event Service Professionals Association (ESPA) (formerly ACOM) recognized executive director Casandra Matej of the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau in San Antonio, Texas, as the recipient of the 2011 Executive Excellence Award.
Matej received the award during the 2012 Awards Luncheon and Business Meeting at the ESPA Annual Conference held January 6-8, 2012, at the US Grant in San Diego, Calif.
“I am so honored to have received this award as it came from my number one customer—my staff,” said Matej. “Convention services are so important to the overall success of the city of San Antonio and our customer’s events. It is important for leaders in our industry to support the growth and provide the tools so convention service managers can be successful.”
The annual award recognizes nominees that are not only executives of an organization that has an ESPA member, but those that consistently support quality assurance in their organization’s event and convention services operations. Nominated by Brenda Square, the director of services at the San Antonio CVB, Matej proved to be a supporter of her entire services team and personally strives to create new ways to effectively service her customers, all while supporting her team’s involvement in ESPA.
“It is outstanding to see and recognize hospitality executive leaders such as Casandra who truly know the impact their service teams have on customers, venues and cities,” said David Dvorak, president of ESPA, CMP. “We are very proud to honor Casandra as her talent, passion and dedication to service are an asset to the meetings industry and ESPA.”
