Las Vegas, NV – Two prominent members of Mexico’s meetings and exhibitions industry were among the honorees at the Convention Industry Council’s (CIC) 20th annual Hall of Leaders & Pacesetter Awards in Las Vegas.
Patricia Farías Barlow, CEO of the Puerto Vallarta Convention Center, was one of the 2015 inductees to the CIC’s prestigious Hall of Leaders. And Rafael Hernandez, publisher and CEO of Latin American Meetings, was among the recipients of the annual Pacesetter Awards.
All of the honorees were nominated by their respective industry associations based on their career accomplishments and contributions to the overall events industry. “Our industry is ever evolving and that means continuing to innovate on many levels,” said David DuBois, chairman of the CIC board of directors and president and CEO of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE). “This event honors pioneers in our industry and we wanted to offer a ground-breaking and fresh approach to showcase that.”
Other honorees for the Hall of Leaders included: Craig Smith, former president of Freeman Audio Visual, Inc.; Larry Luteran, former senior vice president of group sales and industry relations at Hilton Worldwide; Jane Schuldt, founder and president of World Marketing Group; and Amy Spatrisano, former principal of MeetGreen.
Along with Hernandez, the Pacesetter Award was presented to Kinga Soćko, event specialist with the Poland Convention Bureau; and Kate Patay, executive director of sales & marketing for Creative Coverings.
This Fall’s Leaders & Pacesetter Awards at the MGM Grand unveiled a revamped format with a Las Vegas nightclub theme. The resort’s finest restaurants provided the fare and tableside bottle service while the pre-event VIP reception took place at “Club CIC,” a plush pop-up nightclub built for the occasion in the MGM’s Marquee Ballroom.
“The celebration was a truly special occasion which brought new excitement with the rebranded night club format, and MGM Resorts Event Productions did a fabulous job capturing our vision for the way we wanted to reinvent the event,” said CIC CEO Karen Kotowski. “The response to the change has been overwhelming positive.”
Other honorees for the Hall of Leaders included: Craig Smith, former president of Freeman Audio Visual, Inc.; Larry Luteran, former senior vice president of group sales and industry relations at Hilton Worldwide; Jane Schuldt, founder and president of World Marketing Group; and Amy Spatrisano, former principal of MeetGreen.
Along with Hernandez, the Pacesetter Award was presented to Kinga Soćko, event specialist with the Poland Convention Bureau; and Kate Patay, executive director of sales & marketing for Creative Coverings.
Reach David DuBois at (972) 458-8002 or dduboi@iaee.org; Karen Kotowski at (571) 527-3116 or kkotowski@conventionindustry.org; Patricia Farias Barlow at +52-322 226 2870 or pfarias@cicpuertovallara.com; Rafa Hernandez at +52 (55) 2455-3545 x117 or rafa.hernandez@nuestromundogm.com
