MPI names 2014-15 volunteer leadership

July 1, 2014

Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the largest, global meeting and event association, named its 2014-2015 board of directors and volunteer chairs as well as the MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees and Council Members for July 1 to June 30, 2015.

Kevin G. Kirby, principal of the Kirby Consulting Group LLC, became chairman of the MPI board of directors. Gus Vonderheide, vice president of global sales-Americas at Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, will serve as chairman of the MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees.

Since 2000, Kirby has volunteered on several international committees culminating with a selection to the MPI board of directors in 2008. Since then, he served as vice chairman of finance and as executive committee member in 2013, 2011 and 2010. Kirby has more than 20 years of industry experience and previously held leadership positions with Hard Rock International, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and Universal Orlando.

“As chairman of the board, I will continue the great work accomplished by the respected chairs before me and ensure we’re crafting a community we can all proudly call our own,” said Kirby. “Our core focus will remain on enhancing our membership experience as well as expanding our portfolio of professional development and marketplace opportunities. I am truly excited about the make-up of our incoming board as well as the foundation board and the experience they can bring to engage our brand further.”

Vonderheide became a member of the MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees in July 2008 and previously served as vice chair of projects in 2011-2012. At Hyatt, he leads the global sales force based in the Americas and his team of 30 directors manages the company’s largest corporate global accounts.

“It has been an honor to serve as a trustee for the MPI Foundation over the past several years. With our renewed mission, the foundation is even more committed to strengthening our industry through education support and pan-industry research, and I look forward to working with my fellow trustee members over the next year to further the foundation’s efforts,” said Vonderheide.

2014-2015 MPI Board of Directors Executive Committee:

Chairman: Kevin Kirby, Principal, The Kirby Consulting Group LLC
Chairwoman-Elect: Fiona Pelham, Managing Director, Sustainable Events Ltd and Positive Impact
Vice Chairman of Finance: Darren Temple, CTA, Chief Sales Officer, Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau
Vice Chairman: Brian Stevens, President and CEO, ConferenceDirect
Vice Chairwoman: Erin Tench, CMP, CMM, Associate Director of Special Events, The Pennsylvania State University
Immediate Past Chairman: Michael Dominguez, Senior Vice President of Sales, MGM Resorts International
Ex-Officio: Paul Van Deventer, President & CEO, Meetings Professionals International

2014-2015 MPI Board of Directors Members:

Amanda Armstrong, CMP, Corporate Travel and Meetings Manager, Enterprise Holdings, Inc.
Krzysztof Celuch, Ph.D. CMM, CITE, CIS, Vice-Rector, Warsaw School of Tourism and Hospitality Management and Head of Poland Convention Bureau Polish Tourist Organization
Angie Duncan, CMP, CMM, Global Accounts Director, BCD M&I
Annette Gregg, CMP, CMM, Vice President, Conferences, LPL Financial
Anne Hamilton, Vice President, Resort Sales and Services, Disney Destinations
Gerrit Jessen, CMP, CMM, Regional Managing Director Germany, Austria and Czech Republic, MCI Deutschland GmbH
Allison Kinsley, CMP, CMM, Chief Meeting Architect, Kinsley Meetings
Michael Massari, Senior Vice President of Meeting Sales and Operations, Caesars Entertainment
Audra Narikawa, CMP, Vice President, Senior Manager, Travel and Meetings, Capital Group
Alisa Peters, CMP, CMM, National Account Manager, Experient Inc.
Ken Sanders, President, Freeman Audio Visual Solutions
Marti Winer, Vice President, Communications and Event Services, Wyndham Hotel Group
Gus Vonderheide, Vice President of Global Sales-Americas, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts (MPI Foundation Board Representative)

2014-2015 MPI Volunteer Chairs:

Audit/Finance Committee: Darren Temple, CTA, Chief Sales Officer, Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau
Chapter and Membership Advisory Council: Jason Carroll, CMP, Director of Sales & Events, The Florida Aquarium
Educational Proposal Review Task Force: Robyn Mietkiewicz, CMP, CMM, Director, Global Meeting Management, Meeting Sites Resource
Governance/Nominating Committee: Michael Dominguez, Senior Vice President of Sales, MGM Resorts International
New Member Engagement/Acquisition Task Force: Chris Gasbarro, Chief Creative Officer, Creative Community Connections, LLC
Professional Development Advisory Council: Michelle Allgauer, CAE, CMP, CMM, Vice President of Member Engagement, Financial Services Institute, Inc.
RISE Awards Judging Panel: John Ehlenfeldt, CMP, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Visit Huntington Beach
Senior Meeting Professional Task Force: Laura J. Smith, U.S. Oncology Sales & Marketing Operations, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Student/Young Professional Task Force: Carol Krugman, MEd, CMP, CMM, Department Chair, Hospitality, Tourism & Events; Assistant Professor, Meeting & Business Event Management, Metropolitan State University of Denver

2014-2015 MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees Executive Committee:

Chairman: Gus Vonderheide, Vice President of Global Sales-Americas, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
Chair-Elect: Stephen Revetria, Vice President and General Manager, Giants Enterprises
Immediate Past Chairman: Dave Johnson, President and CEO, Aimbridge Hospitality
Vice Chair of Finance: Bryan Gay, Vice President of Sales, The Mirage
Vice Chair of Development: Jim Russell, Senior Vice President, Sales, Freeman
Vice Chair of Programs: Leslie Menichini, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Rosen Hotels & Resorts/Convention Hotels

2014-2015 MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees Members:

Jordan Clark, Vice President of Sales, Caesars Entertainment
Shelley Williams, Director of Sales-Eastern Region, Caesars Entertainment
Carole McKellar, Executive Director-Europe, HelmsBriscoe
John Tolbert, General Manager, Marriott International
Greg Van Dyke, Senior Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing, PSAV
Jeff Wagoner, Executive Vice President, Brand & Customer Services, Wyndham Hotel Group
Brandon Hall, CMO and Co-Founder, One Hope Wine
Eric Kreins, Divisional Director of Sales, Business Travel-North America, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Gregg Hopkins, Vice President of Marketing, Newmarket International, Inc.
Tammy Kockaya, CMP, CMM (Chapter Liaison), Associate Director, Events and Meetings, KPMG

2014-2015 MPI Foundation U.S. Council Members:

Chair: Jordan Clark, Vice-President of Sales, Caesars Entertainment
Diana Voto, National Sales Director, Disney Destinations
Robin Deyo, Founder & Executive Director, Cendyn
Tom Faust, Vice-President of Sales, Omni Hotels and Resorts
Chandra Allison, Vice-President of Sales, The Venetian/The Palazzo
Tami Hance, Vice President, Destination by Design
Rodney Gutierrez, Sr. Director Sales, Event Management & Exhibitor Services, Orange County Convention Center
Michael Beardsley, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Aimbridge Hospitality
Ron Freeman, National Account Executive, MillerCoors
Junior Tauvaa, Senior Vice President Sales & Meeting Solutions, Anaheim/Orange County Visitors & Convention Bureau

2014-2015 MPI Foundation Canada Council Members:

Chair: Shelley Williams, Director of Sales-Eastern Region, Caesars Entertainment
Helene Moberg, Executive Director-Sales, Destination Halifax
Danielle Piche, Director of Development, Hotels & Facilities, Freeman Company
Trevor Lui, Director of Operations & Sustainability, The International Centre
Robin Paisley, General Manager, IncentiveWorks
Fiona Marshall-White, Managing Director, Canada, CIBT Visas Inc.

2014-2015 MPI Foundation EMEA Council Members: