Great news for two of the industry’s great women, from the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau. From the press release:

Effective November 1st, 2004, Executive Vice President Kathleen “Kitty” Ratcliffe will lead convention sales and Donna Karl, CMP, vice president of client relations, will steer meeting planner service.

Both convention and hospitality industry professionals were hired to reinforce NOMCVB’s focus on expanding and increasing city-wide association convention sales and growing short-term meeting bookings. Kitty Ratcliffe brings to the role of executive vice president one of the highest sales executive profiles in the industry, nationally. The role of NOMCVB Vice President of Client Relations filled by Donna Karl is the first of its kind for any CVB in the nation and serves to optimize the customer service experience for meeting planners and their organizations.

It’s good to see two women land in VP jobs at a CVB, especially at a top-tier city like New Orleans. For a historical look at this trend, see this article from 1996 in Association Meetings. For a more recent look at gender issues for association planners, check out this article from AM last year.

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That’s what Howard Feiertag, faculty member in the Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, must be after recently being awarded the Excellence in Outreach Award by the College of Business.

He won the award, which recognizes the efforts of faculty who have made outstanding contributions in “putting knowledge to work” for the benefit of constituencies outside the university, for his outreach work in the areas of research, continuing education, publishing, consulting, and supervising off campus service learning for students.

This isn’t the first time Howard has been awarded for excellence: He has previously been the recipient of awards from Meeting Professionals International, Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, Professional Conference Management Association, as well as the Convention Industry Council, for his lifetime achievements in industry education and mentoring.

We should all be so proactive in teaching others what we know.

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According to a press release: “Two emerging leaders in the association profession have been awarded scholarships opportunities with the Banff Centre as part of a content partnership with The Center for Association Leadership.

“Benjamin Martin, member relations team leader with the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, and Walter Woods, senior vice president of marketing and development with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, will each receive the Banff Centre Scholarship for Emerging Leaders.

“The scholarship includes full tuition to participate in a weeklong education training and leadership course of choice at The Banff Centre leadership and conference facility in Alberta, Canada.”

For more information, contact The Center for Association Leadership at (202) 326-9550 or visit centeronline.org.

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Twelve Marriott International employees have been honored with the J. Willard Marriott Award of Excellence, the company announced today. With more than 300 nominees, these folks should be proud.

A bloggly congratulations to the winners:
Vanessa Cohorn-Brown, Director of Resort Grounds, Camelback Inn, A JW Marriott Resort & Spa, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Arnaldo Demalas, Banquet Captain, New Orleans Marriott, New Orleans, La.; Sheila Goodwin, Human Resources Manager, Marriott Vacation Club International, Orlando, Fla.; Janet S. LaPierre-Green, Executive Secretary, Renaissance Hollywood Hotel Hollywood, Calif.; Manuel López, Bellman, JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa, Cancun, Mexico; Peggie A. McCallum, Housekeeping Lead, Greensboro-High Point Airport Marriott, Greensboro, N.C.; Raymond Merle, General Manager, Residence Inn by Marriott, Akron, Akron, Ohio; Hamdy Khalfallah, Dishwasher, Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino, Cairo, Egypt; Ronald E. Thomas, Public Area Attendant, The Ritz-Carlton Dearborn, Dearborn, Mich.; Jennifer L. Timmins, Accounts Receivable Manager, Marriott ExecuStay, Gaithersburg, Md.; Sylvia Yvonne van Hell, Quality Service Supervisor, San Antonio Reservations Center, San Antonio, Texas; Theresa Wilson, General Manager, TownePlace Suites by Marriott, Mobile, Mobile, Ala.

Congratulations to James Youngblood (shown at right in the photo), chief executive officer, Heart Rhythm Society, and Richard B. Green, CASE, vice president of industry relations and association sales, Marriott International, who were feted by more than 1,000 people at the recent PCMA Education Foundation Dinner Celebrating Professional Achievement. Both men received the 2004 PCMA Professional Achievement Award for their leadership and contributions to the meetings and convention industry.