CIC Announces All-Star Lineup to Celebrate the 20th Hall of Leaders Celebration

The Convention Industry Council (CIC) is thrilled to announce the all-star entertainment lineup for the 2015 Hall of Leaders and Pacesetter Awards Celebration. To celebrate the 20th class of the industry’s best and brightest, the CIC will unveil an exciting new format for its capstone awards program taking place Tuesday, October 13, 2015, at 6:00 pm.

Sponsored by MGM Resorts Event Productions, MGM Resorts International, the IMEX Group, and other industry partners, this year’s celebration will kick off a new era of CIC awards presentations. For three decades, CIC has honored its industry pioneers with a night of special recognition and will continue to do so – but with a new flair. Gone is the lengthy sit-down dinner of year’s past,as we strive to celebrate honorees in an environment as electric as the energy they bring to the industry.


Laura Schwartz	MO5AIC

The night will be hosted by Laura Schwartz, former White House Director of Events and author of "Eat, Drink and Succeed." Ms. Schwartz was recently named one of the Top 7 Speakers by Successful Meetings Magazine. This year’s celebration will also feature entertainment by MO5AIC, a five-man vocal supernova who replicates the sound of a live band with their own voices. Having worked with the likes of Jay Leno, Prince and Tony Bennett, MO5AIC's interactive and personalized show is sure to delight!

"Each year we evolve the event to make it relevant as well as enjoyable to our industry audience while giving proper respect to those that have had such an impact on the industry," said Karen Kotowski, CMP, CAE and CEO of the Convention Industry Council. "We listened to our members and attendees who said they wanted a less formal event, coinciding with the IMEX America tradeshow event, rather than the Sunday before. Gone are the rounds of 10 long speeches and the multicourse dinner. ‘In’ is lounge-style seating, artistic appetizers, and innovative cocktails prior to, during, and after the special entertainment. The award-winning MGM team is sure to produce another exciting, and enjoyable event for the audience and inductees."

Originally slated to be held at LIGHT Nightclub, Hall of Leaders and Pacesetter Awards Celebration has been moved to the MGM Grand, featuring a "Pop up" Night Club in the Marquee Ballroom, a venue the production team at MGM Resorts International felt would best maintain the level of prestige of years past. This space offers more flexibility and opportunity to create an amazing evening of delight, honor and excitement. The revolutionary two-hour gathering will forever be engrained in attendees’ minds as CIC honors industry champions and emerging leaders.

Inductees:
Hall of Leaders:

Patricia Farias Barlow, CEM, CEO, Puerto Vallarta Convention Center and FIDEES
Larry Luteran, Former Senior Vice President of Group Sales and Industry Relations, Hilton Worldwide
Jane Schuldt, CIS, CITE, Founder and President, World Marketing Group, Ltd
Craig Smith, Retired, Former President, Freeman Audio Visual, Inc.
Amy Spatrisano, CMP, Former Principal at MeetGreen

Pacesetter Award Winners:

Rafael Hernández, CEM, Publisher & CEO, Latin American Meetings,
Kate Patay, CPCE, Executive Director of Sales & Marketing Creative Coverings
Kinga Socko, Conference Specialist, Poland Convention Bureau.

For more information on the event or to purchase sponsorship and tickets visit: www.conventionindustry.org/HallofLeaders/2015HallofLeadersCelebration

The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) is a
program of the Convention Industry Council

Convention Industry Council
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Tel: 571-527-3116