SmithBucklin, an association management and professional services company, announced Jan. 7 that Brad Weaber has been named executive vice president of event services. The move consolidates reporting of the company’s three convention, tradeshow and event management service units (Convention and Trade Show Services in Chicago and Washington, D.C. and Courtesy Associates in Washington, D.C.) under event services. Weaber, a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), also will continue in his role as president of Courtesy Associates.
“This is a great opportunity for Brad and a natural move that will strengthen SmithBucklin’s service delivery to its client organizations by leveraging leadership, operational efficiencies and our company’s unmatched purchasing power,” said Henry S. Givray, chairman and CEO. “Our goal is to continually improve productivity and deliver an ever-higher standard of performance to our client organizations, as well as a unified voice to the hospitality and related industries.”
An industry veteran for 26 years, Weaber joined SmithBucklin in January 2009 as president of Courtesy Associates, a Washington, D.C.-based conference and event management firm that celebrated its 62nd anniversary in 2009 and is owned by SmithBucklin. Prior to joining SmithBucklin, Weaber served as executive vice president and chief customer officer for Experient, Inc./Conferon, in Washington, D.C., where he oversaw the sales and account management division.
He held numerous leadership positions at Experient during his 18-year tenure as well as a variety of hotel management positions with the Renaissance Hotel in Springfield, Ill.
Weaber was a two-time seated president of the Capital Chapter of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA). He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the PCMA Foundation, the Starwood Customer Advisory Board, the Vancouver Customer Advisory Board and the Las Vegas Customer Forum Board.
Lise A. Puckorius, senior vice president, Event Services/Chicago and Cele Fogarty, vice president, Event Services/Washington, D.C., will continue in their existing management and leadership roles. Puckorius, a 23-year veteran of the event and hospitality industry, is a 10-year veteran of SmithBucklin. Fogarty joined the company in 1989 and has been promoted numerous times prior to her current position.
Leslie Thornton, who joined SmithBucklin in 2003, was recently appointed managing director of Courtesy Associates. In her new role, she is responsible for day-to-day management of Courtesy, including oversight of the service unit’s financials, operations and strategic management.
Michael L. Payne, executive vice president, will continue in his role as a thought leader to the hotel and events industry. At SmithBucklin, he also provides direct oversight for the company’s Washington, D.C. and St. Louis office operations, government relations and client management, and is responsible for the SmithBucklin and MCI Worldwide Partnership, which delivers seamless association and event management services throughout the world. Payne joined SmithBucklin in 1981.
