Name: David Atkins Title: Principal, Digital DNA Infusion - Your Digital Experts Network Email: david@digitaldnainfusion.com
• Founding shareholder at Expedia • Established Expedia's business development, distribution, hotel and SEM businesses • Led Expedia's launch into the advertising business • Helped develop Expedia's core brand elements • Led the team that designed and launched LiveItUp.com • Led product development of several eCommerce businesses • Led strategic planning and development • Managed sales teams of 200+ people globally • Managed ad operations • Led product, sales, strategy, and yield for 200+ assets • Frequent speaker- travel, tourism, media and digital marketing • Member of The Internet Old-timers Foundation • Incoming Chair of the Americas HSMAI David has worked in leadership positions for Microsoft, Expedia, and IAC among others. David has a deep passion and knowledge base for all things digital. He believes that a solid relationship with the customer is essential to the success of any business. Areas of personal digital expertise for David include: Advertising; Acquisitions; Budgeting; Business Development; Branding; Distribution; Forecasting; General Management; Marketing; Market Analysis; Media; Operations; Product Management; Public Relations; Recruiting; Revenue Optimization; Sales; Site Design; Startups; Strategic Planning; and Team Management. David is a recognized industry leader in the digital, media and ecommerce arenas with expertise across the franchising, hospitality, travel, tourism and publishing spectrum. He has been invited as a speaker, panelist and participant for a variety of University and industry conferences including: Cornell, NYU, ShopAmerica, HSMAI, and HEDNA as well as private speaking engagements. Atkins has built and led global teams across disciplines including: strategic planning, marketing, branding, distribution, business and product development, media sales, public relations, promotions, media planning, revenue generation, ecommerce, telesales, user interface, user experience, training and operations for companies including: Expedia, Microsoft, IAC and Freedom Communications. He served as the Senior Vice President of Revenue for Freedom Interactive where he was responsible for recruiting and managing the revenue generation, strategy, advertising, business development and operation teams that served 200+ digital assets. David was a VP and GM at Interval International, a part of the InterActive Corp family of brands. Atkins also helped found, lead and launch LiveItUp.com. Prior to Interval, he was the vice president of business development of Expedia, Inc., the world's leading online travel service. Atkins oversaw cross company initiatives, distribution relationships, the media businesses, search engine marketing and new non-traditional marketing efforts & led various strategy teams, research and competitive tracking efforts at Expedia. David was a key executive on the Expedia Brand team, helping drive unique online and offline brand programs including brand extensions, PR and promotions. Atkins joined Expedia in its first year of business while still a part of Microsoft and was responsible for leading the team that turned Expedia into one of the largest global hotel booking sites on the Web and was a management member of the IPO team for Expedia. Prior to joining Microsoft, Atkins had over 10 years involvement with franchise, business and real estate development with such companies as McDonald's, Chevron and Wal-Mart. Atkins is a former member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and has served as a judge for the Adrian Awards for Web Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations. David has been involved with HSMAI's top 25 Marketers program since its inception. David has significant experience, on line and offline, working with a variety of industry leaders including: ABC, AdTech, Advertising.com, American Express, AOL, Atlas, AvenueA-RazorFish, Best Western, CBS, Citysearch, Commission Junction, Comscore, DART, Digitas, Disney, DoubleClick, eBay, Google, HEDNA, Hilton, HITECH, Hyatt, HSMAI, IAC, iMedia, Laredo Group, LinkShare, Marriott, McDonalds, Modem Media, Monster, MSN, NBC/Universal, OPA, Outrigger Hotels, Ticketmaster, Right Media, Specific Media, Starwood, Yahoo, Real Media 24/7 OAS. David is married with two children and loves to travel.
Name: Barbara Bowden Title: Corp Director Of Revenue Management/Assistant General Manager, The Peabody Orlando Email: barb.bowden@peabodyhotels.com
Barbara Bowden is responsible for the creation and implementation of the corporate revenue management infrastructure for Peabody Hotels, including organizational structure, strategy, technology, supporting processes and operations, internal education and training. In addition, Bowden’s impressive background led to her assignment of assistant general manager for The Peabody Orlando, responsible for all hotel operations. Bowden is a multi-award winner for her contributions to Peabody Hotels. She is a Certified Rooms Division Executive, (CRDE), and a graduate of Missouri State University, Springfield, MO. Currently, Bowden is an affiliate of the Americas Board of HSMAI, and is past chairperson of the HSMAI revenue management special interest group.
Name: Fran Brasseux Title: Executive Vice President, HSMAI Email: fbrasseux@hsmai.org
Fran Brasseux was recently appointed Executive Vice President of HSMAI. In this position, Brasseux is responsible for the oversight of chapter relations, all membership and marketing functions of the association. Her new role includes the development of chapter educational programs and the launch of new programs that can add value to the HSMAI membership. For more than 11 years, Brasseux worked for Forte Hotel Group, London, England, a $5.8 billion hotel group with over 800 hotels. Starting as the national director of incentive sales in 1991, she was promoted to vice president, central region in 1993, to vice president of the eastern region, in 1995, and to senior vice president of sales & marketing, the Americas in 1996. As senior vice president, Brasseux was responsible for the sales and marketing management of the Americas, including all hotel and regional sales, marketing programs, reservations and public relations. These positions followed an impressive sales and marketing career with Pan American World Airways, Inc., where Brasseux last served in 1991 as division director of incentive and meeting sales, USA. She has been recognized by Travel Agent Magazine as one of Top 100 Women in Travel for four years running and has received numerous HSMAI Adrian awards for marketing and public relations excellence. Brasseux was also recognized in 2004 as one of the Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales & Marketing by industry peers and HSMAI’s Executive Board. She is currently enrolled in graduate business classes at Georgetown University and participated in business, finance and revenue management programs at Cornell University and George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. She holds a degree in Business Administration from Northern Virginia Community College, Alexandria, VA.
Name: Eric Brey Title: Assistant Professor & Director, Center for Resort & Hospitality Business, University of Memphis Email: ericbrey@memphis.edu
Eric Brey is director of the Center for Resort and Hospitality Business and Assistant Professor in the Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality and Resort Management at the University of Memphis. His career continually focuses on understanding consumer experiences and their impacts on hospitality and tourism marketing and operations. For this work, he has received multiple research excellence awards, been recognized for innovation and industry service as one of the most extraordinary minds in sales and marketing by HSMAI, and quoted by more than 125 international media outlets including Forbes, Business Week, USA Today, New York Post, Washington Post, and CBS News. Eric has also conducted seminars and presentations for multiple international organizations and industry groups including the American Resort Development Association, Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International and the Women’s Foodservice Forum amongst others. Dr. Brey received his Ph.D. from Purdue University with a M.S. and B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, all in Hospitality and Tourism Management.
Name: Maureen Callahan Title: Vice President Of Marketing - Destination Hotels & Resorts Email: mcallahan@destinationhotels.com
Maureen Callahan is vice president of marketing for Destination Hotels & Resorts, consistently ranked as one of the top ten independent hospitality management companies, and is responsible for strategic direction of the company's corporate marketing efforts including portfolio awareness and co-branding programs, public relations, internet marketing and online branding, partnership marketing, and oversight of the corporate marketing communication strategic plan and budget. In addition, she works closely with properties in the Destination collection to counsel and coach sales and marketing directors on market positioning and competitive analysis, electronic distribution, internet and website marketing, group sales, media, advertising, budgeting and data-driven marketing. She continually provides in depth support and expertise to the due diligence and acquisition process for hotels, resorts and spas and supports the launch of new properties and integration into the portfolio. A 24-year veteran with the company, Callahan has served as interim and onsite director of marketing at numerous condominium, hotel and resort properties in the Destination portfolio. She also developed Destination's initial customer and meeting planner satisfaction programs, spa marketing efforts, managed national group sales offices, and has provided regional sales and marketing and business planning support to properties in the collection. She received the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) 2007 award as “One of the top minds in hospitality sales and marketing” and currently serves on the HSMAI Americas Board of Directors and also serves on the board of directors for the Panetierre Partners educational foundation in Denver.
Name: Brenda Fields Title: Founder, Fields & Company Email: brenda@fieldsandcompany.net
Representing a “who’s who” roster of clients, Brenda Fields of Fields & Company, has worked with a number of industry leaders and innovators, from hotelier Ian Schrager and real estate developer Harry Macklowe, to global brands including Starwood Lodging Corporation, Planet Hollywood, Vornado Realty Trust, Choice Hotels International, Olympus Real Estate Corporation, and Apple Core Hotels. In addition to major hospitality brands, Brenda’s consulting practice includes a wide range of independent properties around the country, such as The Kitano Hotel, New York; Woodlands Resort and Inn, Summerville, South Carolina; the former Bel Age Hotel, Los Angeles, CA; Mondrian Hotel, West Hollywood, CA, and more. Brenda brings a hands-on approach to problem solving along with her two-decade long record of results as both a consultant and in corporate sales and marketing to each challenge. She has honed a reputation for helping owners and operators achieve target revenues through development and execution of cost effective, workable strategic plans that maximize profits and build stronger, sustainable brands. Recent assignments include a complete restructuring of the sales, marketing and revenue management for a well-known luxury independent boutique hotel in NYC that enhanced key aspects of the hotel’s business, better utilized staff and maximized revenue streams. The result: the hotel achieved record profits within six months, following years of declining revenues. For a multi-branded international franchise chain, with thousands of locations around the world, Brenda spearheaded a global strategic initiative designed to help brand leaders build their business, and their brands, with intermediary sales and marketing tactics. Brenda is a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants; currently on the Americas Board of Director for HSMAI; is Immediate Past President of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International in NYC; and was named one of “The Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing” by HSMAI” for 2007. She was awarded the “Best of the Best” by HSMAI in 2006 for her contributions on the Awards and Recognition committee, serves as a member of the Editorial Board of Hotel Executive.com, is a regular contributing editor to international publications Hotels Online, Hotel Resource Weekly Network News, eHoteliers, and 4Hoteliers. She is also a member of the Real Estate Board of New York.
Name: Frank Fredericks Title: Managing Director, Wild Dunes Resort Email: ffredericks@wilddunes.com
Frank Fredericks is Wild Dunes® Resort managing director, bringing more than 25 years of highly successful experience in hotel management, sales and marketing, catering and conference services. Fredericks is currently responsible for all Resort operations. He has been with Wild Dunes Resort since 2003 and with its parent company, Destination Hotels and Resorts since 2000. In 2005, Fredericks was honored as one of the hospitality industry’s “25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales & Marketing” by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI), the world’s leading professional organization for industry marketing and sales executives, during its annual Adrian Awards in New York. Notably, Fredericks led the Wild Dunes Resort sales and marketing team in implementing a multifaceted, award-winning marketing campaign that advanced Wild Dunes from a summer-only, leisure destination to a year-round, multi-purpose resort destination and led to sizeable increases in total resort revenue and national media exposure in 2004-2005. Prior to joining Wild Dunes Resort in 2003, Fredericks served as director of sales and marketing at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, D.C. (formerly known as the Monarch Hotel). While there, he was responsible for group sales, catering sales, business and leisure travel sales, advertising, public relations, media relations, e-commerce and revenue management for the luxury, four-diamond, 415-room hotel. Additional experience includes fourteen years with various Westin properties throughout the country. Throughout that time, Fredericks served a variety of roles ranging from sales manager to director of group sales. Fredericks earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver and a master’s degree from Bowling Green State University. He serves on the Board of Governor’s of the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and on the America’s Board of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.
Name: Bob Gilbert, CHME, CHA Title: President and CEO, HSMAI Email: bgilbert@hsmai.org
As President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, has been guiding HSMAI through an exciting period of change in order to re-establish the 7,000-plus member organization as the definitive hospitality and travel marketing association in the world. During Gilbert's tenure, HSMAI has achieved tremendous success with a number of initiatives. More specifically, the Association has revitalized European membership and established new chapters worldwide; it continually seeks out beneficial affinity programs for members; and it has negotiated a number of alliances that build member benefit value. Furthermore, it has re-affirmed its commitment to industry-specific education through the creation of segment-specific programs, such as a series of sales and marketing seminars for general managers, and the launch of an innovative Executive T.H.I.N.K. series for top-level executives. Notable achievements under Gilbert's leadership include the growth of marketplace events through the expansion of HSMAI's Affordable Meetings® with Affordable Meetings® West and Affordable Meetings® Mid-America (added to the existing Affordable Meetings® National), which along with the seven-city HSMAI Meetings Quest, makes it is the largest operator of trade shows for the meetings industry. Also of great significance is the recent launch of the HSMAI Foundation's new Corporate Membership program, dedicated to conducting sales and marketing specific research studies for the hospitality, travel and tourism industry. Prior to joining HSMAI in 1995 (in an executive capacity), Gilbert was the vice president of marketing for Richfield Hospitality Services, Inc., the largest hotel management company in the world, where he oversaw the corporate marketing support for all Richfield hotels, which included product from every price tier in the industry. Gilbert holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, and has been a member of HSMAI since joining the student chapter at Cornell. He is a frequent guest lecturer at the School and is on the adjunct faculty of the summer executive education program. Gilbert serves on the Board of Directors of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) and the Convention Industry Council (CIC), and is also on the Board of Trustees for the World Tourism Foundation as well as the Travel and Tourism Coalition of the Travel Industry Association of America. He is a member of the HITEC Advisory Board for Hospitality Finance and Technology Professionals.
Name: Flo Lugli Title: Executive Vice President, Marketing Email: Wyndham Hotel Group
Flo Lugli is the executive vice president of marketing for Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company with 11 brands and more than 7,000 hotels. She is responsible for overseeing distribution, ecommerce, loyalty, revenue management and research initiatives and leading the global strategic direction for customer engagement and market positioning for the company. A nationally recognized expert with a proven track record of driving revenue, she joined the company in July 2009 after serving more than 20 years with Travelport Limited, one of the world’s largest global distribution system providers and a leader in Web-based e-commerce solutions. Most recently, Lugli served Travelport as senior vice president of commercial in its Global Distribution Services Division and, prior to that, as acting chief marketing officer. During that time she was responsible for leading the company’s GDS business in the Americas and overseeing Travelport’s Global Operations and Global Land and Sea businesses, including the development and execution of its hotel, car rental and leisure strategies. Lugli also spent six years leading the company’s Airline Solutions business unit, holding titles including senior vice president of Airline Solutions and president and managing director, Airline Solutions. In those roles, she was responsible for the development and delivery of business and technology solutions for the company’s airline suppliers, with a specific focus on reservations hosting, faring and data solutions. Prior to 2002, Lugli held executive level business development and operations positions with Wizcom International and then Galileo International, which was acquired by Travelport’s predecessor, the former Cendant Corporation, in 2001. She joined Cendant in 1987 as a part of its Hospitality Division, serving in several sales and marketing roles, including vice president of worldwide sales and vice president of worldwide sales and marketing. Lugli has been voted one of the Most Powerful Women in Travel seven times by Travel Agent Magazine and has been named a top 10 technology expert and a top 75 hotel executive by Lodging Magazine. She has served two terms as president of the Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA), an international organization promoting electronic distribution of the hotel product, and is currently a member of the US Travel Association’s Travelcom advisory board. Lugli also serves on the board of directors for Joe's House, a nonprofit organization providing a nationwide online service that helps cancer patients and their families find lodging near treatment centers. She is based in Wyndham Hotel Group’s Parsippany, N.J. offices.
Name: Margie Sheffer, CHME, CHA Title: Director of Chapter Relations, HSMAI Email: msheffer@hsmai.org
Margie joined HSMAI 31 years ago, in 1974. She has held various chapter board positions including chapter president for the NE Pennsylvania Chapter. Margie attributes much of her successful career as a hotel sales and marketing professional to her association with HSMAI. For the past eight years it has been her privilege to work on staff for HSMAI as the Director of Chapter Relations. In this position she provides resources and support to the chapter boards of forty HSMAI chapters in the America’s Region which includes Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. She earned the coveted CHME designation in 1981 and her CHA designation in 1983. Margie believes that you "get" what you "give" and has always found HSMAI to be an excellent investment in both time and money.
Name: Mark David Thompson Title: Vice President Of Marketing - Irving Texas CVB Email: mthompson@irvingtexas.com
Mark D. Thompson is the vice president of marketing for the Irving, Texas Convention and Visitors Bureau, an agency that represents more than 75 hotels and 11,000 hotel rooms in the heart of Dallas/Fort Worth. Mark oversees the bureau’s marketing, communications, and research initiatives. He is currently the board chairman of the Dallas-Fort Worth Area Tourism Council, a cooperative marketing organization that represents over 45 area cities and convention bureaus in North Texas, as well as their partner hotels, restaurants, attractions, airlines, airports, and transportation companies. Mark also serves on the Americas Board of Directors for the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, and recently completed his second term as advisory board chairman for HSMAI’s Hotel Director of Sales and Marketing Special Interest Group. He is a former president of HSMAI’s Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter. Mark received his bachelor’s degree from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, and his master’s degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
