2012 Annual Tourism Exchange
The Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) hosted our popular annual Tourism Exchange event at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center Lecture Hall on Wednesday, January 11, 2012. Dr. Lalia Rach, a renowned expert and speaker on the tourism and travel industry, is currently a professor at the NYU Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management and Dean emeritus of the University of New Haven (CT) School of Hotel and Restaurant Management. Rach, a member of the GMCVB board, was so well received at last year's event that we opted to honor the many requests we had for her return. Rach's remarks, which focused upon her insights and forecast on trends and business strategies, were very well received by the large crowd in attendance.
Rach also serves as a board member for the NYC & Company (Convention & Visitors Bureau) New York City Academy of Travel and Tourism and the World Association for Hospitality and Tourism Training, among many others. A native of Spring Green, Wisconsin, and a resident of Madison, Rach has spent her career in the tourism industry and brought expert industry advice and suggestions to our partners and guests.
Bill Haight, GMCVB Board Chair and President of Magna Publications/InBusiness magazine, kicked off the event with a warm welcome to the sizeable crowd. He stressed the importance of supporting the efforts of the GMCVB and acknowledged the on-going support of our many board members (GMCVB, Spirit of Greater Madison and Madison Area Sports Commission) in addition to the many committee members and other volunteers in attendance.
Deb Archer, President and CEO of the GMCVB, provided a brief overview of the mission of the GMCVB as well as a few highlights from 2011. She also included a preview of some exciting events heading to the Greater Madison area for 2012 and excitedly reminded the audience of the GMCVB's upcoming 40th anniversary.
Among the many guests in attendance, the GMCVB was pleased that Madison Mayor Paul Soglin and Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and many of our municipal partners were also in attendance.
Our event will also be airing on Madison's City Channel on Saturday, January 14, at 8 p.m. and on Sunday, January 15, at 8 p.m. City Channel is can be viewed on Charter Analog Channel 98, Charter Digital 994 or AT&T Uverse Channel 99. They will also post the video on their website: http://www.cityofmadison.com/citychannel/
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| L-R: Mayor Paul Soglin, Deb Archer, GMCVB President & CEO; Bill Haight, Magna Publications/InBusiness Magazine, Chairman, GMCVB Board of Directors. | Dr. Lalia Rach, professor at the NYU Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management, GMCVB Board Member; Deb Archer; Bill Haight. |
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| L-R: Jim Bradley, Home Savings Bank, GMCVB Board Member; Deb Archer; Bill Haight | |
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| L-R: Bill Rogers, Malthouse, Madison Craft Beer Week; Jeff Glazer, Madison Craft Beer Week; John Pollard, Mediasite, Sonic Foundry Inc. | L-R: Fran Puleo, Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center; Steve Cover, City of Madison Planning & Community & Economic Development |
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| L-R: Ayjay Puskarich, Comfort Inn & Suites; Mac Chorlton, Tweedee Productions; Steph Sabo, GMCVB. | L-R: Sarah Pingry, Sandi Daniels, FIRE Light Group; Kate Dale, GMCVB. |
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| L-R: Mark Clarke, World Dairy Expo, GMCVB Board; Deb Archer; Joe Parisi, Dane County Executive. | L-R: Deb Archer, Joe Parisi |
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| L-R: Kyra Popp, Julie Woodward, Emily Wendt, Jeff Montalto, Ranette Maurer and Bob Caston, Marcus Hotels. | L-R: Bob Caston, Hilton Madison Monona Terace; Gregg McManners, Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center |
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| L-R: Dawn Crim, UW-Madison, GMCVB Board Member; Steve Cover, City of Madison Planning & Community & Economic Development | L-R: Deb Archer, Joe Parisi, Bill Haight |
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| L-R: Eliot Butler, Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company; Jack von Rutenberg, Von Rutenberg Ventures; Chris Caple, GMCVB | L-R: Chris Studenka, GMCVB; Bob King, The Madison Concourse Hotel & Governor's Club. |
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| L-R: Jamie Patrick, MASC (Madison Area Sports Commission); Jim Bradley | |
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| L-R: Chris Studenka; Todd Schwartz, Valley Expo and Display | L-R: Jack von Rutenberg; Chris Caple |
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| L-R: Janine Wachter, GMCVB; Ranette Maurer, Marcus Hotels | L-R: Greg Scalzo and Ken Rovak, Good Karma Broadcasting - ESPN Radio; Dan Brown, Ho-Chunk Gaming- Madison. |
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| L-R: Kate Dale; Jessica McCarty and Nancy Sandhu, UW Madison Visitor & Information Programs. | L-R: Chris Studenka and James Blystone, GMCVB; Jack von Rutenberg |
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| L-R: Jamie Patrick; Joel Weitz, Vitense Golfland, GMCVB Board Member | L-R: Carmen Smalley, The North Central Group; Cindy Foley, Madison Marriott West; Lynda Patterson, Association Management Partners, Bethany Olsen, Madison Marriott West; John Pollard. |
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| Dr. Lalia Rach | |
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| L-R: Deb Archer; Dr. Lalia Rach |
