Meeting Professionals International (MPI) announced its 2014-2015 Board of Directors and Volunteer Chairs, as well as the MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees and Council Members. Kevin G. Kirby, principal of the Kirkby Consulting Group LLC, has been named chairman of the MPI Board of Directors, and Gus Vonderheide, vice president of global sales-Americas at Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, was named as chairman of the MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees.
“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 Kirkby. “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.”
Kirkby has volunteered on multiple international committees with a selection to the MPI Board of Directors since 2000. He has also served as vice chairman of finance and as executive committee member in 2013, 2011 and 2010. Within his more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, he has held leadership positions with Hard Rock International, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and Universal Orlando.
In 2008 Vonderheide became a member of the MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees and has previously served as vice chair of projects in 2011-2012.
“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,” Vonderheide said.
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:
· Chair: Carole McKellar, Executive Director-Europe, HelmsBriscoe
· Ray Bloom, Chairman, IMEX Group
· Julie A. Krueger, Global Sales Lead, Freeman
· Anthony Hyde, Consultant, Anthony Hyde Consultants
· Alda Egurrola-Wienke, Regional Director, Elite Meetings
