Sarah Aivaz, CEM joined Shepard as Senior Vice President of Business Solutions, a role in which she will spearhead technological advancements and focus on optimizing the customer user experience. Aivaz joins Shepard from Freeman, where she served most recently as Senior Solutions Advisor.

Clarion Events promoted Mike Carlucci to Chief Operating Officer. Carlucci joined Clarion in 2014, and most recently served at Chief Revenue & Customer Delivery Officer, a role in which he led North America’s sales, operations and service arm. As Chief Operating Officer, his role will expand to include the attendee program team to develop insight and value-driven programs while delivering expanded revenue opportunities.

Prior to Clarion, Carlucci worked at Reed Exhibitions (now RX) as Group Portfolio Director.

Reach Mike Carlucci at Mike.Carlucci@Clarionevents.com

EventsPass appointed Melissa Ooi Chief Operating Officer. Prior to the appointment, Ooi served as Executive Vice President – U.S. Operations, and before joining EventsPass in 2022, she was Executive Vice President at ASP Inc. The appointment highlights the company’s focus on operational efficiency and driving customer centricity as it plans for growth.

Clarion Events named Liz Irving President of Clarion Events North America, the first president role held in North America. Irving has worked at Clarion since 2015, and most recently served as Chief Marketing Officer, North America. Throughout the years, Irving has been integral to Clarion Events North America’s strategy for commercial success, and developed new revenue models and demonstrated leadership on technology boards and SISO. Prior to Clarion Events, Irving spent 15 years with RX (formerly Reed Exhibitions).

Alice Mathu, CEM, CMP, was appointed Vice President Business Development and Partnership at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA). Prior to this, she served as Vice President Exhibitions, Conferences and Sales at the organization, where she’s worked for more than 15 years, and oversaw the operations and sales for IAAPA’s global expos — IAAPA Attractions Expo, Euro Attractions Show and Asian Attractions Expo — as well as other global conferences, meetings and events.

Check out Alice Mathu’s Power Lunch feature here.

Reach Alice Mathu at AMathu@IAAPA.org

Clarion Events North America appointed Narisa Wild as Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy & Products. Wild joins Clarion Events from Informa, where she served as Senior Vice President Digital Solutions, Programme Director. She also had worked at Informa Markets in a variety of roles including SVP Event & Media Solutions, Transformation Office. With more than 24 years of experience with digital technology and product development, Wild will be responsible for the digital evolution of events, technology, media and data, as well as contributing to digital product development efforts.

Reach Narisa Wild at Narisa.Wild@clarionevents.com 

Sherrie Spinks, General Manager at the Savannah Convention Center (SCC), will retire at the end of August 2023. Spinks has served as General Manager at SCC since 2016, and has been working with the Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA) for more than 26 years, where she also served as GWCCA’s Chief Financial Officer from 1997-2015.

The Georgia World Congress Center Authority is partnering with the Savannah-Georgia Convention Center Authority for a national search for Spinks’ successor. SCC Assistant General Manager and Director of Finance Stephen Hall will serve as interim General Manager effective Sept. 1.

The Broadmoor appointed April Flagg as the Director of National Accounts, Northeast & International Sales. Prior to joining the team at The Broadmoor, Flagg spent five years at The Peabody Memphis as its National Sales Manager. She has also served in a number of capacities in the service industry, including as a Director of Sales, Executive Meeting Manager and Reservations Coordinator among others throughout her career.

Photo Credit: The Broadmoor

The Broadmoor appointed Eva Prezenkowski, CEM, as Director of Convention Sales for the resort, which holds more than 310,000 NSF of meeting space in the Convention Center at The Broadmoor. Prior to the appointment, Prezenkowski worked at the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority as Sales Account Manager – Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina, and had previously worked in sales at the Pasadena Convention Center and Pasadena Convention & Visitors Authority.

Photo Credit: The Broadmoor

Exhibitor Group appointed Kimberley Gishler as Chief Content Strategist and Associate Publisher, effective Oct. 1, 2023. In this role, she’s responsible for enhancing the digital presence of the brand, shaping and executing its content strategy and driving innovation. Gishler joins Exhibitor Group from the Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA), where she served as President and CEO for more than 13 years.