Cleveland CVB Prez Says 'Goodbye'Last month, the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland accepted the voluntary resignation of president Dave Nolan, who has been on administrative leave since May. Nolan originally came under fire when the local media discovered that CVB marketing funds had paid for a weight-loss program and expensive golf trips for executives. But according to a recent statement issued by CVB Board Chairman Dennis Lehman, an independent investigation into CVB spending "concluded that Mr. Nolan engaged in no malicious misconduct during his tenure as the bureau's president." Regarding efforts to steady the bureau's reputation and leadership, Lehman states, "The policy and procedural reforms that the CVB is making will enable the bureau and its staff to concentrate on fulfilling its mission with a renewed sense of purpose and direction." At presstime, no replacement for Nolan had been announced. Starwood Rolls Out Mtgs ConciergesIn October, Starwood introduced StarMeeting Concierges at 69 of its meetings-heavy properties. David Scypinski, senior vice president of industry relations, says that each concierge will "stay on the floor of the meeting, acting as a problem-solver and expediter. It's someone who will always be visible, and who can help planners get things done quicker." While not an extension of the Sheraton Promise program, a customer service initiative that targets individual travelers, the concierge program is one component of the larger Starwood Meetings program that's designed to standardize customer service to the meetings sector throughout all Starwood brands.American Express Launches Travel CardLast month, New York City-based American Express introduced a new way for travelers to store and spend their funds: a prepaid charge card called the TravelFunds Card. The refillable stored-value card can be used at any location worldwide that accepts American Express credit cards, and it is available in U.S. dollar, euro, and British pound currencies. Like American Express' popular Travelers Cheques, the stored card is meant to allow travelers extra security and convenience when spending money away from home.