People & Profiles

  • Smart hiring managers invest in getting to know candidates

    By Sheila Wong Common courtesy is not just something we remember from the past – it can be an asset in recruiting today. How you treat your candidates before, during and after the interview process is very telling of the type of manager you are perceived to be. It is instrumental in attracting the kind of candidate you need in our service-based industry. How does this apply? It’s a lot like dating. After talking to a classmate from his MBA…

  • Edmontonian wins national event industry award

    Local businessman Brent Taylor bestowed with Canada’s highest honour at the 2018 Canadian Event Industry Awards. Timewise Event Management’s managing partner Brent Taylor received national recognition at the 21st Annual Canadian Event Industry Awards hosted in Toronto on March 21, 2018. He was selected from among numerous nominations and five finalists in the Event Professional of the Year category, the most prestigious and coveted of the awards. Taylor was recognized for his contributions to the meeting and event industry. Working…

  • Four reasons why you should attend professional association meetings

    As an association manager, I’m regularly coming up reasons why professionals should join their industry associations, and different ways to market and share their value propositions – and yet, there is still work to do around awareness in our own meeting planning industry! How do you get your professional development? What networks have you joined? Is it time to start being more active in your industry’s association? Or, maybe you’ve already had a full career and it’s time to give…

  • Acquis Consulting Group adds Shimon Avish to expand Meetings Management practice

    Acquis Consulting Group is pleased to announce Shimon Avish has joined the firm as Principal and Head of the Strategic Meetings Management practice. In this role, Avish will oversee the expansion of Acquis Consulting Group’s offerings in the area of meetings management. Avish has been in the industry for over 20 years, holding roles with American Express Consulting, American Express Meetings & Events, BCD Meetings & Events, and his own firm, Shimon Avish Consulting. Avish has led major initiatives to design and build…

  • New president and CEO of RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg announced

    Convention Centre Corporation Board of Directors announce the appointment of new president and CEO After 25 years at the helm of the RBC Convention Centre, President and CEO Klaus Lahr will be retiring this spring. Following a lengthy search, Crystal Laborero, Board Chair, and Search Committee Chair Danny Akman have announced that Drew Fisher will be appointed to the position effective March 15, 2018. Fisher will join the convention centre with over 30 years of experience in the hospitality and…

  • MPI commences 2018 with vice president of community appointment

    Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has selected Nicole Edmund to lead the association’s membership and chapter operations teams as vice president of community, effective January 8, 2018. In this newly created position, Edmund will be responsible for the engagement, growth and overall satisfaction of MPI’s global chapter network and membership community. Edmund has more than 20 years of experience as an association management professional. She most recently served as the associate vice president of membership and chapter relations for Women in…

  • How to make innovation simple

    In the face of today’s fast-moving, highly-volatile business world and the ongoing disruptions it brings, many businesses and individuals continue to struggle with the concept of innovation. But according to leading experts (and Merriam Webster’s dictionary), innovation is far simpler than you may suspect: By definition, it’s simply the introduction of something new. But innovating is often far easier said than done: If it were simple, everyone would be doing it, naturally. Surprisingly though, as we’ve found through our ongoing…

  • MPI appoints Julie Holmen as sales leader for Canada, international markets

    Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has selected Julie Holmen to serve as Director of Business Development covering Canada, Europe and Asia, effective December 4, 2017. Based in Toronto, Holmen will be responsible for revenue generation and management of strategic partnerships for the association and the MPI Foundation within her assigned markets, and reports to Evan Casey, MPI’s Vice President of Global Sales. Holmen has 20 years of experience working in the meeting and hospitality industries. Prior to joining MPI, she held…

  • The Metro Toronto Convention Centre appoints Lorenz Hassenstein as general manager

      The Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Lorenz Hassenstein to the position of General Manager. Hassenstein joins the MTCC team after serving as General Manager for the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Recognized as a dedicated leader, Hassenstein brings over 23 years of experience and an impressive record of accomplishment in general management, trade/consumer event management and strategic business development to his new role. Prior to his most recent position as General Manager at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, he held various…

  • MPI 2018 International Board slates announced

    Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has announced the approved slate for its 2018 International Board of Directors and the 2018 MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees. “I am very proud of the interest received from our membership to be part of MPI’s International Board. The new slate of directors represents thought leadership and experience that will make a difference at the leadership level of this organization. Their perspectives and contributions will help to grow and advance the global meeting and event community,” said Fiona Pelham, chair of the MPI Board Development Committee. Board…

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