December 14, 2007

Orlando CVB Elects New Members to 2008 Board of Directors

ORLANDO, Fla. –  Five new members were elected to serve on the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.’s (Orlando CVB) 2008 Board of Directors at the organization’s annual meeting today.   The five, Joseph Couceiro, Steven Jamieson, Victoria Dolan, Manuel Casiano and Alan Villaverde, will join the existing members to serve the CVB membership on the 2008 board.

Mark McHugh, President and CEO of Gatorland, has been selected to serve a third term as chairman.  McHugh represents the Orlando CVB’s 1,400 members, leads the board’s Executive Committee, and presides over board actions to ensure that the mission and goals of the Orlando CVB are fulfilled.

The following have been nominated to serve with McHugh on the Executive Committee pending approval by the Board of Directors in January:

Chair Elect:                         George Aguel, Senior Vice President 
                                              Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Secretary:                             Louis Robbins, Area Vice President
                                               Hilton-Doubletree Hotels Florida

Treasurer:                            Ed Gilbert, Chief Executive Officer     
                                               Gilbert & Manjura Marketing

Past Chair:                           Bill Davis, President and Chief Operating Officer
                                               Universal Orlando Resort

At-Large directors serving on the Executive Committee include:                                                     

Garritt Toohey                     Vice President, Rosen Hotels & Resorts
Paul Tang                             Vice President & Managing Director, Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress

In addition, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority’s Director of Public Affairs, Carolyn Fennell will serve on the Executive Committee as an Ex-officio member.  Gary Sain, the Orlando CVB’s President and CEO, rounds out the Executive Committee as a non-voting member.

Elected directors on the 2008 board are as follows:

Charles E. Carns Jr.           Chief Executive Officer, Mears Transportation Group
Don Engfer                            Senior Vice President, Tishman Hotel Corporation   
Mark Ferland                        General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
Larry Campbell                    Vice President of Internal Audit, Darden Restaurants
C.T. Hsu                                  Principal, C. T. Hsu International, Inc.
Margot Knight                       President & CEO, United Arts of Central Florida
Richard Watkins                  Senior Vice President, Private Wealth Management, SunTrust Bank
Roger Pynn                            President, Curley & Pynn Public Relations and Marketing 
                                                 Communications
Ronald O. Rogers                 President, Ronald O. Rogers & Associates
Randy Cook                           Managing Partner, The Capital Grille  
Joseph Couceiro                 Corporate Vice President of Marketing, Busch Entertainment Corporation
Steven Jamieson                General Manager, The Mall at Millenia
Victoria Dolan                       Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Marriott Vacation
                                                 Club International
Manuel Casiano                   Founder, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, Casiano Communications 
                                                 Inc. (CCI)
Alan Villaverde                     Vice President/General Manager, The Peabody Orlando

Ex-Officio directors include:

Richard T. Crotty                  Mayor, Orange County
Buddy Dyer                            Mayor, City of Orlando
Des Cummings, Jr., Ph.D.  Chiarman, Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce
Ray Gilley                                President and CEO, Metro Orlando Economic Development 
                                                  Commission
Rich Maladecki                     President, Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association 
Carolyn Fennell                     Director of Public Affairs, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority
Dr. Dan Holsenbeck             Vice President of University Relations, University of Central Florida
Jessie Allen                           General Manager, Orange County Convention Center

The Orlando CVB is the official branding, sales and marketing organization for the Orlando area responsible for generating brand awareness, increasing travel to the area and booking conventions and meetings.