People in the News

Amy Lacey has been named Tradeshow Week's marketing director. In what is a new position for the magazine, Lacey will concentrate on reinforcing Tradeshow Week's brand in the marketplace and developing new revenue streams. Previously, she was marketing manager for Los Angeles Magazine.

Diversified Business Communications has appointed Megan M. Forrester to managing director of its newly created Incubator Group, where she will develop new U.S. tradeshow launches.

Boutique event management firm P&V Enterprises has hired Amie Goldman as its marketing director and project manager. She last worked for George Little Management as an event supervisor.

TSE Sports and Entertainment, an event management group focusing on corporate sports travel and events, has hired Lauren Levy as vice president of meetings and incentives. She has been involved in corporate meeting planning for the past 10 years.

George Little Management has appointed Jerry Merkin sales and marketing consultant for the Intl. Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show to facilitate hotel operator and supplier participation in the event.

Mette Petersen has been made president and managing director of Chicago-based Koelnmesse. She will oversee the international company's expansion into North America.

VNU has made several staff changes:

• Cory Smith is now group show director for the Building Group. Smith previously worked as VNU's group show director for the Medtrade and Medtrade Spring events.
• Barbara Stroup, now group operations director overseeing all the operational activities for shows and conferences produced out of VNU's Atlanta office, was last account executive with Andrews-Bartlett Exposition Services.
• Maddie Oelkers is VNU's new operations manager in charge of Multi-Housing World Conference & Expo and the Wood Technology Clinic & Show. She was formerly the senior event coordinator at the Georgia World Congress Center.
• Bruce Wilson has been promoted to operations manager for the Imprinted Sportswear Shows. He worked previously with the Multi-Housing World Conference & Expo and the Wood Technology Clinic & Show.

Hargrove has named David Solsbery director of its design department. He will supervise design projects for the company's tradeshow, special event and custom exhibit divisions.

Vincent J. LaRuffa, formerly vice president, convention sales and services for the Orlando/ Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, has been named vice president, resort sales and marketing for Universal Orlando.

The Georgia Intl. Convention Center has made two staff changes:

• Mercedes Miller has been promoted from sales director to assistant director of the facility.
• Aubery Wilburg, now sales manager for the GICC, had acted previously in the same capacity for the Georgia World Congress Center, also in Atlanta.

The El Paso Convention & Performing Arts Center has promoted Esther Portillo from group sales manager to director of booking and event services.

Terry Dale has been named president and CEO of the Cruise Line Industry Assn. He will direct the group's marketing and travel agent communications and education programs.

John Griswold, president of CNL Hospitality, has been elected chairman of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau's 2004 board of directors.

The Irving (Texas) Convention & Visitors Bureau has hired Tim Loecker as communications manager to market hotels, restaurants and attractions throughout the city.

Travel Technology Group has made two additions to its staff:

• Larissa Dudycz has been named marketing manager. Previously she was tourism manager for the Navy Pier in Chicago.
• Mark Tunney has been hired as vice president of sales, having last led the direct sales and marketing efforts of five large convention hotels.

John W. Patten has been named president and COO of Hamilton Exhibits. He was previously executive vice president with Verkler, a general contracting and construction firm based in Indianapolis.

Bruce Powell has been named senior vice president of sales and marketing of Art-Tech, a design and production company that specializes in tradeshow services. He has worked for the past 10 years in similar capacities with such companies as DIRECTV and the Disney Channel.

Global event management and communications agency PGI has appointed Neil Scott-Barbour general manager of the firm's Atlanta office. He has over 20 years of experience in the tour, travel, hospitality and event planning industries.

Christopher Warren has been hired by audiovisual group Creative Technology to be director of operations for CT California. He has spent the last 12 years as operations manager at Fourth Phase.