Tanner Comes Home to Grand Rapids
AHC Hospitality has named Adam Tanner to be assistant vice president of food and beverage. He will oversee the restaurant and catering programs of AHC Hospitality’s Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton and the JW Marriott Grand Rapids. A Grand Rapids native, Tanner has more than 25 years of experience in hospitality. Previous positions have had him at The Westin Siray Bay Resort and Spa in Phuket, Thailand; the Mandarin Oriental Washington D.C.; and the Peninsula Chicago. Most recently, he led the food and beverage program as executive chef at the Mandarin Oriental Taipei.
Two Promoted at Experience Grand Rapids
Experience Grand Rapids recently promoted two team members. Kate Lieto is now the associate vice president of marketing, and Kelsey Helstowski has taken over as the associate director of sales. Lieto joined the organization about 11 years ago as a marketing intern and most recently served as director of marketing. She now takes on increased leadership in steering and developing marketing strategies to accelerate the growth of visitors to the Kent County area and the economic impact of the visitor economy. Helstowski joined Experience Grand Rapids about six years ago. Her new role will involve more responsibility for training new sales managers, developing a new site experience program to enhance meeting planner visits, and working with hotel and convention center partners on securing future opportunities.
Greater Lansing CVB Announces Promotion, New Hires
The Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau has hired new marketing and sales team members and promoted Stephanie Wohlfert to senior sales manager. Formerly the organization’s marketing intern, Emily Hedglen is now the full-time graphic design manager. With more than five years of public relations agency experience, Adrienne Cooley will oversee media relations, social media, and written and digital content.
Wohlfert has been with the CVB for five years. In addition to her current sales responsibilities with state association and government markets, she’ll take the lead in developing and managing professional meeting groups as well as GLCVB Partner Meetings.
New sales team members include Ariel Backus, sales manager; Dani Schneider, sales and services coordinator; Elaine Unger, sales manager; and Jenn Morden, convention services & events manager. With more than 10 years of event management and sales experience, Backus will focus on establishing and growing relationships with industry partners and community members while representing the Greater Lansing region to meeting and event planners. Schneider, who brings event organization, office management, and customer service experience to her new position, will be responsible for administrative sales support as well as event and meeting coordination.
Unger offers recent experience in event planning and regional sales management. A certified tourism ambassador, she is in the process of becoming a certified meeting planner. She’ll primarily work with state associations to coordinate meetings and conferences in Greater Lansing.
Morden has extensive meeting planning, operations, project management, and hospitality experience. In her new role, she’ll coordinate and manage services to meetings and other events. She’ll also oversee planning and execution of GLCVB events.