Meeting News - August 11, 2008 - (Page 16)

People Making News StarCite Taps Greg Dukat for CEO Last month, Greg Dukat joined StarCite as CEO, succeeding Michael Boult, who left the company in March. With a strong background in fast-growth technology companies, Dukat told MeetingNews’ sister publication Business Travel News that StarCite would focus on expanding its presence with large companies, as well as providing solutions for smaller meetings. “Our strategy will not be a major shift, but a ﬁne-tuning of what we’re already on the path of,” Dukat said. “Our perception, and the research we’ve done on our customers, is that in many cases we’re used in a part of the organization at a large company that has many large meetings, but there are other areas of that company that we haven’t gotten to.” Prior to joining StarCite, Dukat served as president and CEO of Ventyx Inc. (formerly Indus International Inc.), a leading provider of service delivery management solutions for energy, utility, and other asset-intensive organizations. Under his leadership, Ventyx’s market capitalization increased fivefold in four years, while revenues more than doubled. Prior to Ventyx, Dukat was CEO of 180Commerce Inc., a provider of reverse supply chain software that helps companies more effectively manage and track returns. Dukat also was vice president and general manager of the southern U.S. region at J.D. Edwards World Solutions Company, a manufacturer of enterprise and supply chain software later acquired by PeopleSoft. StarCite is a partner of the Nielsen Business Media Travel Group, providing a venue supplier database for www.MeetingNews.com, MN’s website. then, he has held positions in sales and marketing with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, and the Golf Club at Newcastle, a luxury golf course in suburban Seattle. Prior to joining the SCVB as its senior vice president of sales and marketing in 2005, he was president and managing director of destination management company Seattle Hospitality Group. Meanwhile, SCVB’s former president and CEO, Don Welsh, resigned last month to become president of the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association. Welsh’s arrival coincides with the opening of Lucas Oil Stadium in August, the upcoming debut of the midfield terminal at Indianapolis International Airport in October, the beginning of construction of the Indiana Convention Center expansion, and the construction of the 1,600-room Marriott hotel complex anchored by a 1,000room JW Marriott. He said Indianapolis is a “marketer’s dream come true.” A hospitality industry veteran of more than 20 years, Welsh was chosen from a nationwide search that began with more than 100 applicants. Prior to becoming SCVB’s president and CEO, Welsh served as the bureau’s senior vice president of sales and marketing from 2003 to 2005. Prior, he served as executive vice president for business development at HelmsBriscoe, one of the nation’s top meeting planning companies. In 2000-2001, he was president of the Continental Basketball Association. tions and nonprofits. Prior to joining the CH&LA, O’Donnell served as director of advertising and sales for the National School Boards Association, where she oversaw sales teams generating $1 million in annual ad revenues. Before that, she was the executive vice president of the Colorado Restaurant Association from 2005 to 2007. At the CRA, her responsibilities included oversight of membership sales, marketing, communications, and public relations, as well as lobbying and testifying for or against bills of interest to the Colorado restaurant industry. Kamsler, who is retiring after 22 years of service, will remain with the CH&LA through the Democratic National Convention (Aug. 24-28), at which time O’Donnell will assume all responsibilities of the association. “Ilene’s history and legacy with the CH&LA will be remembered and appreciated in the lodging industry for a very long time,” said O’Donnell. “I have had the honor and pleasure of working with her in the past and feel fortunate to be stepping into a solid organization that enjoys credibility on both the state and national scenes.” Rosen Hotels & Resorts Creates Three-Pronged Role for Menichini In May, Rosen Hotels & Resorts created a new executive position for Rosen Shingle Creek’s director of sales and marketing, Leslie Menichini. She is now vice president of sales and marketing for Rosen Hotels & Resorts Convention Hotels. Menichini, who joined the Rosen team in May 2001 to lead the pre-opening team for Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, will now oversee the centralization and synergy efforts of sales and marketing, staff development, and revenue management of Orlando’s Rosen Centre Hotel, Rosen Plaza Hotel, and Rosen Shingle Creek. In addition, she will maintain her current role at Rosen Shingle Creek. “Over the past seven Christine O’Donnell Is CH& LA President Seattle CVB Taps Norwalk As Prez; Welsh Moves to Indianapolis CVA In July, the Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB) announced Tom Norwalk (pictured above) as its new president and CEO. A Seattle native, Norwalk began his career in 1976 in the catering and banquet division of Seattle’s Washington Plaza Hotel. Since Effective Aug. 4, Christine O’Donnell will replace Ilene Kamsler as president of the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association (CH&LA), which has more than 470 members representing more than 40,000 guest rooms throughout the state of Colorado. O’Donnell brings 18 years of experience in selling and marketing associa- E-mail your personnel announcements in the meetings and hospitality industries to Terri Hardin, Editor-In-Chief, at terri.hardin@nielsen.com, or mail them to MeetingNews, 770 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10003. 16 MeetingNews August 11, 2008 www.meetingnews.com http://www.MeetingNews.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - August 11, 2008

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