Twinsburg, Ohio -- Dave Lutz, president of Conferon, one of the nation's largest meeting planning firms, has announced his resignation effective Jan. 1.
Concurrent with relinquishing his Conferon post, Lutz also announced his resignation as president of ExpoExchange, one of the country's largest event registration and lead management companies. Conferon and ExpoExchange are units of Conferon Global Services (CGS).
"I am leaving a great company," said Lutz, who worked at CGS and its predecessor, Conferon, for nearly 22 years. No successor has been named.
Lutz said his resignation was "a very personal decision," and he remained noncommittal about his professional future.
"I am unsure whether I will resurface in the industry or get into something new," he said.
Conferon founder and CGS president Bruce Harris said of Lutz, "Dave is an extraordinary talent, and his legacy will be defined by the incredible strength of the company and leadership team that he is leaving behind."
Harris credited Lutz with taking an active role in Conferon's acquisitions of ExpoExchange and group housing management company ITS, which led to the formation of CGS in 2003.
Lutz began his career at Conferon in 1984 as a meeting coordinator. He steadily moved up the ranks, serving as senior account executive, sales director, vice president of sales, executive vice president, and chief operating officer in addition to his current positions.
Lutz started his hospitality career in hotel catering, working from 1979 to 1984 at three Marriott hotels and one Sheraton.
CGS annually manages more than 2,500 meetings on behalf of more than 1,000 clients and books nearly four million hotel room nights.