VCEC Welcomes new Vice-President, Sales and Marketing

Vancouver, BC (June 10, 2008) — With less than a year away until the official opening of the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre’s (VCEC) new expansion, the VCEC has added and welcomed back a key member to its leadership team.

Bringing over 20 years of experience, Claire Smith, CMP, has been appointed Vice-President, Sales and Marketing, where she is responsible for strategic business development, leading and directing the VCEC sales department, as well as positioning the facility in the global marketplace.

“It is certainly a pleasure for us to welcome back Claire to the VCEC, “says Warren Buckley, President and CEO, PavCo, the crown corporation which manages both the VCEC and BC Place Stadium.

“As our former Director of Sales & Client Services, Claire played an integral role, managing sales, marketing and event services. She has strong industry ties with an extensive global network and will be a great asset as we advance our marketing initiatives to attract business to our new facility,” added Buckley.

For the last three years, Claire has been the principal of her own consulting firm where she provided business development strategies for convention venues, bureaus, associations and event management companies. She has worked with convention centres around the world and until her appointment at the VCEC, worked with Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the industry’s largest association with 24,000 meeting professionals worldwide, as their VP, Marketplace Performance.

Claire is a recognized expert in her field and has been a featured speaker and session facilitator at ASAE, MPI and PCMA. She was Meeting Professionals International (MPI) British Columbia Chapter President in 1996/97 and has actively participated on various International committees and Advisory Boards.

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About the VCEC:
Since 1987, the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre has been British Columbia’s flagship convention facility, hosting more than 350 events annually and generating more than $213 million (fiscal 2008) in economic impact for the province. When the VCEC expansion is completed in March 2009, the VCEC will have tripled its space to nearly 500,000 square feet, and will serve as the accredited media centre for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.