The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) has announced that Karen Dougherty Buchholz is the new chair of its board of directors. Currently serving as the executive vice president of administration for Comcast Corporation, which is headquartered in Philadelphia, Buchholz succeeds longtime PHLCVB chair Nicholas DeBenedictis, chairman emeritus of Aqua America.
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New Hire for PHLCVB
BY Brittany TrevickPOSTED March 26, 2015
Photo credit: Courtesy of PHLCVB
The Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau has hired Walden Agustin Sr. as senior national accounts director.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Walden to the PHLCVB sales team,” says Jack Ferguson, president and CEO, PHLCVB. “His experience will be a tremendous asset in promoting Philadelphia as one of the country’s top meeting destinations and booking additional room nights in our region’s hotels.”
In his role, Agustin will develop initiative and definitive business from the Midwest and Southeast market in midsize and citywide groups. With 19 years of sales and marketing experience, Agustin was most recently with the San Francisco Travel Association, where he was in charge of the Midwest citywide association and corporate accounts. Before there, he worked for a number of Hyatt Hotels; the Hilton San Francisco; the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau; and the Hawaii Convention Center.
“Having worked with destination marketing organizations, hotels and a convention facility, I am keenly aware of what clients expect from a destination,” says Agustin. “I am excited to bring this expertise to Philadelphia, and I look forward to taking the PHL story on the road as we work to drive even more convention business to the region.”
Atlantic City
Last year was the highest grossing ever for the United States commercial gaming industry.* Meeting planners who hold gatherings at casinos may just feel like they’ve hit the jackpot, too. Casino-based events provide one-stop convenience—the amenities of convention centers and bountiful hotel rooms, plus activities, dining, and nightlife.
Doreen Guerin grew up an Air Force brat, living in Texas, Louisiana, and later England and France. When she was 13, her parents moved to Queens and, Guerin says, “I’m a New Yorker through and through.” That’s apparent from her accent as well as her dedication to the Javits Center, where, as the senior vice president of sales and marketing, she oversees the booking and event-related operations for more than 170 events each year.
M+E: What fueled your interest in working in the conventions industry?