DALLAS, November 8, 2021 — The Meeting Professionals International Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising arm of Meeting Professionals International, the world’s largest meeting and events industry association, is pleased to announce the approved slate for the 2022 MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees.

The Global Board of Trustees is the governing body of the MPI Foundation, with responsibility for Foundation governance, strategic planning, financial oversight and the raising and distribution of funds.

“The leadership and talent of our Global Board of Trustees (GBOT) is a defining factor in our ability to sustain and grow MPI and the industry.” said Paul Van Deventer, president and CEO of Meeting Professionals International (MPI). “Since April 2020 their volunteer leadership has overseen the distribution of over $1.1 million benefiting more than 3,100 MPI members and our community in general. The GBOT is instrumental to the continued recovery of our industry.”

Trustees will take office effective January 1, 2022, for the term from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022.

“The role of the foundation was never more evident than over the last 20 months, said Kevin Kirby, Executive Director, The MPI Foundation. “Our trustees worked diligently to assist over 3,100 individuals (members and non-members) across the globe. As we embark on renewing our fundraising efforts, we’re thrilled to add these proven industry leaders to complement our vision and outreach. Absolutely delighted to welcome our new trustees!”

Noted below is the full slate of the 2022 MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees.

2022 MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees

The slate of officers (Executive Committee) includes:

• Chair: Gary Schirmacher, CMP, CEO, Total Hospitality Industry Solutions (THI$), Denver, Colorado USA (previously elected)
• Chair-Elect: – Jennifer Beatty, DES, HMCC, Director of Business Development, Tourism Calgary, Ottawa Ontario Canada
• Vice Chair Programs – Gina Samci, Senior Director, Global Accounts
  Marriott International, Lincoln, Nebraska USA
• Vice Chair – Business Development – David Kliman, CMM, President, The Kliman Group, Inc., Tucson, AZ, USA
• Vice Chair Finance – Susie Townsend, Senior Vice President, Visitor Experience, Visit Indy, Indianapolis, IN, USA
• Vice Chair Chapters – Sarah Soliman, DES, President & CEO, Soliman Productions, Inc., Orlando, FL, USA
• Immediate Past Chair: Todd Marinko, Owner, Red Fox Consulting
  Dallas, Texas USA

Trustees:

• Richard Allchild, CMP, Senior Sales Manager, Regent Exhibitions, Ltd. - IMEX Group, Brighton, United Kingdom
• Krzysztof Celuch, CMM, CITE, CIS, HMCC, CED, Vice – Rector/Professor, Vistula School of Hospitality, Warsaw, Poland
• Brad Dean, CEO, Discover Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Rebecca DeLuca, CMP, Director of Key Accounts & Strategic Partnerships, Caesars Entertainment, Las Vegas, NV
• EMEA Council Chair, Antonio Ducceschi, CMM, CHBA Chief Commercial Officer, Starhotels Group, Florence, Italy
• Darren Green, Chief Sales Officer, Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, Los Angeles, CA, USA
• Gerilyn Horan, Vice President, Group Sales, Hilton Worldwide, New York, New York USA
• Sharon Jarrett, President & CEO, Jarrett Affairs - Event Design & Productions, Charlotte, NC USA
• D. Bradley Kent, Senior Vice President & Chief Sales Officer, VisitDallas, Dallas, TX, USA
• Mary Kreins, CASE, Senior National Sales Director, Disney Meetings & Events, Washington, D.C., USA
• Julie Krüger, Senior Business Development Director – Global, Freeman, Dallas, TX, USA
• Joe Marcy, CMP, Business Development Executive, Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Manhattan Beach, CA USA
• US Council Chair, Joey Nevin, Vice President, Giants Enterprises, San Francisco, USA
• Rich Reasons, President, Simpleview Inc., Tucson, AZ, USA
• Canadian Council Chair, Candace Schierling, Director of Business Development, Tourism Saskatoon, Saskatoon, Canada
• Latin America Council Chair, Valeria Serrano Suzan, PCS, Managing Director, CTA Event Designer & DMC, Cancun, Mexico
• Ernest Stovall, Vice President of Sales, Mandalay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, NV, USA

MPI Foundation

The MPI Foundation is a non-profit organization that fuels the advancement of MPI members by providing them professional development and career opportunities through grants and scholarships. The MPI Foundation also propels the meeting and event industry forward by funding innovative research and pan-industry initiatives that support the strategic plan of MPI. www.mpi.org/foundation