New Orleans CVB Bolsters Sales Team in Midwest and Mid-Atlantic Regions

New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) Bolsters Sales Team in Midwest and Mid-Atlantic Regions
Additional representation in Washington, D.C. and Chicago offers added value for convention clients

NEW ORLEANS – July 27, 2010 – The New Orleans CVB is pleased to announce the appointments of Shanon Villeneuve and Bonnie Newlin to its regional sales offices in Chicago and Washington DC. Villeneuve will work with clients based in the Midwest region, while Newlin will handle the Mid-Atlantic area.

With approximately 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Shanon Villeneuve began her career with Hyatt Hotels in the San Francisco/Bay Area. After 11 years with Hyatt Hotels, and serving as associate director of sales, Villeneuve worked with the Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau, Omni Hotels National Sales and most recently with the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau. Villeneuve is an active member of Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) as well as Meeting Professionals International (MPI). She can be contacted at svilleneuve@neworleanscvb.com.

Bonnie Newlin began her career in the hospitality industry five-and-a-half years ago working for the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau (ACVB) in the convention services department, and then as a national sales manager before being promoted as the senior national sales manager, handling city-wide meetings. She then opened the regional office in Washington, D.C. for the ACVB. Newlin is an active member of PCMA, MPI, CVB Representatives and Association of Meeting Professionals. She can be contacted at bnewlin@neworleanscvb.com.

“The New Orleans CVB has an opportunity to build even stronger relationships with our convention clients in these regions as Shanon will be working with Peggy Hagaman in Chicago and Bonnie will be partnering with Helen Mesfin in Washington, D.C.,” said Nikki Nicholson, vice president of convention sales for the New Orleans CVB. “This is an important client benefit to corporations and associations, offering an effective partnership and added value to groups of all sizes and ultimately positioning the New Orleans CVB to have one of the strongest regional sales teams in the country.”

The New Orleans CVB is the driving catalyst for New Orleans’ largest industry – tourism – strategically leading national and international marketing, public relations and visitor services efforts that attract millions of visitors, events, conventions and festivals. Consistently recognized as one of the top five CVBs in the country, the New Orleans CVB is celebrating its 50^th anniversary in 2010. For more information, please visit www.neworleanscvb.com.

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