Meeting News - December 15, 2008 - (Page 20)

CVBs Dynamic Duo Grows Charlotte’s Green Squad Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority CEO Tim Newman and Tribble Creative Group president Mary Tribble spearhead Charlotte Green Team, a growing force in the city The green movement is sweeping across Charlotte, and in November, Tim Newman, CEO of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, and co-founder of the Charlotte Green Team, a citywide initiative, was among those who swept into Washington, DC, to highlight eco-meetings strategies in front of a gathering of 40 senior association executives. The occasion was a conference of the Convene Green Alliance, a grassroots group formed by a broad mix of associations in pursuit of green meetings. While the CRVA isn’t the first bureau involved in a green program, what’s notable is that in a little over a year, Newman and other Green Team co-founder Mary Tribble, president of event producer Tribble Creative Group, have the traction of 80 members, including the Charlotte Convention Center (CCC), the Charlotte Area Hotel Association, and the Greater Charlotte Hospitality and Tourism Alliance. “We started last year with 20 members,” said Newman. “It’s a voluntary effort. Anybody who wants to become more green is welcome [to join].” The city of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and Charlotte’s major pro sports teams and universities are members of Green Team, as well. Going green is a growing point of competition in hospitality, so while the Charlotte team demonstrated the destination’s commitment to sustainability at the Con- By William Ng william.ng@nielsen.com vene Green Alliance Focus Forum on Nov. 3, it also showed the city’s competitive advantage to potential association clients in the audience. “Besides the moral imperative,” said Tribble, “it’s good for Charlotte’s business, in terms of the tax dollars coming in.” The Green Team emerged in July 2007, when Tribble was looking to green the second annual North Carolina Conference for Women at the CCC later that October. Tribble and Newman worked with the venue to cut waste by half compared with the previous year’s meeting, using most of the practices outlined by the Convention Industry Council’s Green Meetings Report. http://www.visitkc.com/meetings http://www.visitkc.com/meetings

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Meeting News - December 15, 2008 Gloom Looms for Rooms Sixth Homeland Defense and Security Symposium's Career Summit... Perspectives What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com Chef Talk People Making News Hotels & Resorts %20%20%20%20%20Dolce Offers to Rebuild Meetings in Public Crisis CVBs %20%20%20%20%20Charlotte's Tim Newman Cultivates a Green Team International %20%20%20%20%20Downturn Deals Sands a Bad Hand in Macau Transportation & Services MN Exclusive Research Green Beat Insider Reports %20%20%20%20%20Affordable Las Vegas %20%20%20%20%20Galveston Destination Insider %20%20%20%20%20Phoenix Incentive Reports %20%20%20%20%20Europe %20%20%20%20%20Ski Destinations Meeting News Planners' Choice Awards Advertisers Index Live from the Forum

Meeting News - December 15, 2008

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