Names in the News - March 2009

Bill Adams joined the Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau as the new director of sales in February. He has more than 12 years of experience promoting destinations through ventures with hotels, conference and visitor bureaus, tour operators, transportation companies, and restaurants.

Matthew Watson now leads the food and beverage operations of the Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel. Watson will oversee operations for Opus, the hotel’s signature restaurant, The Bridge bar, and the lobby martini bar. He previously served as director of F&B at the Omni Jacksonville in Florida.

The Columbia Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau welcomed Brantley Butler as a new sales manager in March. Butler is now responsible for marketing the CVB to medical, scientific, and engineering markets and attracting them to host conventions and events in Columbia area.

The Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa named Stephanie Heckathorne director of public relations. Formerly media relations manager for the Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau, Heckathorne has more than six years of experience in the hospitality industry.

Visit Jacksonville hired two tourism veterans in March. Chris Bracken, a 28-year industry veteran, joins Visit Jacksonville as the vice president of sales and marketing. The newly appointed director of sales, Kim Ritten, will manage the daily operations and activities of the sales department.

Cedarbrook Conference Center named Joe Figone director of sales and Brian Petoletti as director of food and beverage. Cedarbrook, a meeting and event destination, was formerly a private corporate retreat but is now open to the public for the first time in its five-year history.