MPI Names 2012-13 International Board of Directors

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has announced its 2012-2013 Board of Directors, which it seated this week for a fiscal-year term beginning July 1, 2012, and ending June 30, 2013.

Serving as MPI's new board chair is Kevin Hinton, executive vice president of Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI). A former president of MPI’s Chicago chapter, Hinton began service on the MPI board of directors in 2008 and was chairman-elect in 2011. As executive vice president of ALHI, he leads the company's global sales team and is in charge of growing its international membership of hotels and convention bureaus. Prior to joining ALHI, he was CEO of hinton+grusich, which was acquired by ALHI in 2011.

Also announced last week were MPI's Volunteer Chairs and its MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees. Leading the 2012-2013 MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees is Vincent LaRuffa, vice president of resort sales and marketing at Universal Orlando Resort.

MPI's complete 2012-2013 leadership follows:

2012-2013 MPI Board of Directors Executive Committee:

Chairman: Kevin Hinton, Executive Vice President, Associated Luxury Hotels International
Chairman-Elect: Michael Dominguez, Senior Vice President of Sales, MGM Resorts International
Vice Chairman of Finance: Kevin Kirby, Senior Director-Worldwide Sales, Hard Rock International
Vice Chairman: Roel Frissen, Managing Director, Parthen
Vice Chairman: Carl Winston, Director, School of Hospitality and Tourism, San Diego State University
Immediate Past Chairman: Sebastien Tondeur, CEO, MCI Group Holding SA

2012-2013 MPI Board of Directors Members:

• Krzysztof Celuch, Vice-Dean, Vistula University
• Jordan D. Clark, Vice President of Sales, Caesars Entertainment
• Ricardo Ferreira, Senior Vice President, GRUPO ALATUR
• Hattie Hill, CEO, Hattie Hill Enterprises, Inc.
• Cornelia Horner, Vice President, American Land Title Association
• Allison Kinsley, Chief Meeting Architect, Kinsley Meetings
• Carol Muldoon, Executive Director-Events & Meetings, KPMG LLP
• Fiona Pelham, Managing Director, Sustainable Events Ltd.
• Alisa Peters, National Account Manager, Experient Inc.
• Darren Temple, Senior Vice President of Sales and Services, Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Erin Tench, Associate Director of Special Events, Penn State University
• Stephanie Windham, Vice President Sales and Marketing, ARIA Resort & Casino
• Legal Counsel: Jonathan T. Howe, Esq., President/Senior Partner, Howe & Hutton Ltd.

2012-2013 MPI Volunteer Chairs:

Audit/Finance Committee: Kevin Kirby, Senior Director-Worldwide Sales, Hard Rock International
Chapter Advisory Council: Tara Liaschenko, CEO, The Link Event Professionals Inc.
Governance/Nominating Committee: Sebastien Tondeur, CEO, MCI Group Holding SA
Knowledge Advisory Council: Michelle Allgauer
Marketplace Advisory Council: Daniel Estatico, Sales Director, Walt Disney World Resort
Membership Advisory Council: Angela Layton, Marketing and Event Specialist, Healthtech Holdings Inc.
RISE Awards Judging Panel: Barbara J. Cummins, Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

2012-2013 MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees Executive Committee:

• Chairman: Vince LaRuffa, Vice President Resort Sales and Marketing, Universal Orlando Resort
• Chair-Elect: David Johnson, President/CEO, Aimbridge Hospitality LP
• Immediate Past Chair: Kevin Olsen, President and Principal, One Smooth Stone
• Vice Chair of Finance: Mike Massari, Vice President of Meeting Sales & Operations-Las Vegas, Caesars Entertainment
• Vice Chair of Development: Gus Vonderheide, Vice President of Sales-Group, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
• Vice Chair of Investor Relations: Stephen Revetria, Vice President & General Manager, Giants Enterprises/AT&T Park San Francisco Giants

2012-2013 MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees Members:

• Mary Casey, Vice President, Global Corporate Sales, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
• Melanie Cook
• Christine Duffy, President & CEO, Cruise Lines International Association
• Thomas Grundner, Vice President Global Sales, Jumeirah Group
• Lee Horgan, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Newmarket International
• Helene Moberg, Executive Director, Sales, Destination Halifax
• Angie Pfeifer, Assistant VP, Corporate Meetings, Investors Group
• Alan Pini, Chief Executive, TEKNOCONGRESS ICS®
• Susan Prophet, Director MC&IT Destination, Quebec/Tourism Quebec
• Jim Russell, Senior Vice President, Innovation, Freeman
• Jeff Wagoner, President, Wyndham Hotel Group