The influx of new hires and promotions continues unabated at event-related organizations far and wide as the industry prepares itself for a busier 2022. Take a look!

Skyline Displays 

Skyline Displays, a leading provider of displays, exhibits and related services for trade shows and corporate events, has tapped Anthony Floreano as its new CEO. He succeeds Bill Dierberger, who is retiring after serving as president and CEO for 11 years but will continue to serve on the company’s board of directors.  

Floreano brings a strong background in the event space to his leadership role, having spent 14 years at The Freeman Company, where he most recently served as a senior vice president responsible for leading the design, graphics and corporate accounts organizations. Earlier in his career at the company, he was the managing director and COO of the EMEA Region (based out of the U.K.) and vice president of operations for the Northeast region.  

IAAPA 

IAAPA, the global association for the attractions industry, has tapped Jakob Wahl as its executive vice president and COO, effective Nov. 1. In his new role, Wahl will lead the operation of IAAPA’s regional offices, global sales, three global expos and additional member events around the world. He will also oversee the hiring and onboarding of a new vice president and executive director for IAAPA Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Boasting nine years of experience working for IAAPA, Wahl first came to the association as program manager, serving for four years in its Brussels office. He then took a director of communications position at Europa-Park located in Rust, Germany before returning to IAAPA in 2017 as vice president and executive director of IAAPA EMEA.  

International Society of Automation

The International Society of Automation (ISA) has named Claire Ramspeck its new executive director. She brings 25 years of experience in leading standards and technology businesses within associations to her new role.

Ramspeck is the founder of Hobbs Barrett, a private consulting firm that specializes in association management with a focus on development, adoption and dissemination of standards and other technical products and services. Prior to founding Hobbs Barrett, she served as director of technology at the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and as managing director of Standards Development at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

Mary Ramsey, ISA’s current executive director, will retire at the end of this year. 

Messe Frankfurt South Africa

Twenty-year trade show veteran Michael Dehn has been appointed managing director of Johannesburg-based Messe Frankfurt South Africa. He succeeds Joshua Low, who has elected to resign from the company to pursue his own entrepreneurial opportunities. 

Dehn brings extensive international trade fair expertise from his management positions in Messe Frankfurt’s subsidiaries, most recently serving as general manager of Messe Frankfurt India, a role he assumed in Sept. 2018, in which he was responsible for more than 18 trade fairs. Prior to that role, he served as group exhibitions director for Messe Frankfurt Middle East for 16 years, where he was in charge of the entire exhibition portfolio, including Automechanika Dubai, Beautyworld Middle East and Intersec. 

IMN Solutions  

Full-service association and event management company IMN Solutions (IMN) has made three recent additions to its staff to support rapid growth in new association management clients and expanded services to existing clients: Chanel Ricks, account director; Aesha Beattle, senior account manager, event operations; and Morgan Lucchese, account manager.

With more than 20 years of experience in the meetings industry with specialized expertise in medical meetings, Ricks previously served as director of meetings at the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, where she managed the largest bi-annual rare disease conference in the U.S.  

Boasting more than 22 years of experience in hospitality and meeting planning, Beattle has delivered a diverse range of meeting management and consulting service solutions for organizations including MPI–Kansas City Chapter; Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists; California Association of Orthodontists; and Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. 

With extensive hospitality experience at Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott Brands, Lucchese most recently served as a senior event manager for the Griffin Gate Marriott Golf Resort and Spa. 

Boston Convention Marketing Center 

The Boston Convention Marketing Center (BCMC) has added three industry veterans to its citywide sales and hotel relations and services teams.

As director, hotel relations and services, David Taylor will serve as a customer liaison to Boston’s hotel community. He brings extensive hotel industry experience to his new role, including sales and marketing leadership roles at New York and the Boston/Cambridge area properties including Swissotel/Raffles International, The St. Regis Hotel, New York Palace Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton New York, The Charles Hotel and most recently the Kimpton Nine Zero Hotel. 

Neil Schriever has joined the citywide convention sales team, serving Washington, D.C.-area customers. He comes to the BCMC with comprehensive CVB, venue and global hotel sales experience, previously serving as senior vice president of the Providence Warwick CVB, director of sales and marketing for the Chubb Conference Center and most recently, as a global account executive for Marriott International. 

Jessica Parr has returned to the citywide convention sales team as sales manager, responsible for bringing citywide events to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center. Prior to her work with the BCMC, Parr spent 19 years in sales with Hilton Hotels in the Boston area and in San Francisco. 

Impact XM 

Global experiential marketing agency Impact XM has expanded its leadership team with the appointment of industry expert Frank Verrilli as vice president, new business development.  

Verrilli brings more than 18 years of leadership and business development experience to his new role, including more than ten years of experience in the marketing industry. Prior to joining Impact XM, he served as vice president, client partnerships with the ASTOUND Group, where he was responsible for procuring profitable business and the retention of A-list clients including CBS, Porsche and Adidas.  

Multiview 

Nationally recognized B2B marketing firm Multiview recently welcomed two new vice presidents to its strategic partnerships team.

A seasoned industry professional with more than 30 years of experience working with associations, Nancy Rosenbaumstarted her career working with hotel and destination sales. Before her previous role as an event and business development strategist, she worked as a global account strategist for Maritz Global Events before ultimately serving as the company’s vice president for six years. 

Rosenbaum will work alongside sales and business development professional Bill Sheehan, who brings more than 25 years of executive management experience with trade associations and technology companies, as well as in-depth knowledge of non-profit management functions, to his new role.  

Hopin

Julius Solaris has joined Hopin as vice president of marketing strategy, events, responsible for supporting the continued growth of the tech company’s all-in-one event management platform and guiding core marketing strategies including content and partnerships across its event solutions. 

An influential industry executive who brings deep experience to the events side of Hopin’s multi-product portfolio, Solaris most recently served as the head of engagement at Swapcard and is the founder and former editor-in-chief of EventMB. He is also a keynote speaker and author of 10 books on event technology and innovation.

Bluedog Group 

Trade show exhibit creator Bluedog Group has appointed Elin Wisenius as its first director of group global business development. She brings extensive international experience from across the U.K., Asia and Europe, with a particular focus on creative services and high-end products such as cosmetics, spirits and fine wine.

Having started working in the travel retail sector in 2016, Wisenius came to lead a market expansion in Asia for Depack Design, an integrated agency specializing in exhibitions, retail design and digital solutions for luxury brands. Since leaving Depack in 2019, she has been offering business development and ambassadorial services to entrepreneurs and business leaders alike.

Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) has promoted Maria Grasso to senior vice president, convention division, responsible for leading the convention sales and services team in growing convention bookings while positioning Philadelphia as a premier destination for meetings, conventions and events. 

A more than 20-year veteran of the organization, Grasso joined the PHLCVB in 1999 as senior director of national accounts and most recently served as vice president of sales and convention services. Prior to joining the PHLCVB, she served as regional director of sales for Vista Host Hotel Management.

JUNO

Events and association leader Megan Martin has joined virtual and hybrid events SaaS technology company JUNO as an account executive. An event strategist with advanced training and extensive experience in strategic meeting management, event development and planning, virtual and hybrid events, educational programs and association management, Martin will work alongside the company’s team in pushing the boundaries of events through technology.

Before coming to JUNO, Martin held event management and directorship roles at a variety of organizations including RingCentral and the National Conference of State Legislatures, among others.

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