June 01, 1998
Meetings & Conventions: People June 1998

June 1998
PeopleEDITED BY CHRYSTAL INGRAM WHITE
Coffee With...Mary Cavallini
Mary Cavallini has been with the American Bar Association
in Chicago for 25 years - 11 as the director of meetings and
travel. Her department organizes two conventions a year, the
largest with as many as 13,000 attendees, plus 300 smaller off-site
meetings and more than 5,000 in-house meetings.
What was your first job?
I was a carhop at an A&W. I got fired for what I now do well -
delegating. A car would pull in and I'd say, "You get that
one."
What surprised you most about meeting
planning?
How the things you learned in first grade came rushing back. It
really is what you did in Girl Scouts. The refreshments are a
little more sophisticated, but we're still sitting around telling
camp stories.
Pick a celebrity planning partner.
Madeline Albright, because she'd make everything work, everything
peaceful. But if we were meeting on a desert island, it would be
Mandy Patinkin.
What popular song would make a good meeting
planning anthem?
(singing) "Show me the way to go home. I'm tired and I
want to go to bed."
What books are by your bedside?
London: The Novel by Edward Rutherfurd, The Partner by John
Grisham and the latest issue of Vanity Fair.
The sky's the limit: How would you reward
yourself for a great meeting?
Sometimes the best reward is a bologna sandwich, because you've
been living so high on the hog.
Sarah J.F. Braley
PlannersDACUS GOES INDEPENDENT
Corinne S. Dacus, CMP, has launched The Dacus Group, a meeting
management and consulting firm in Minneapolis. Dacus was formerly
director of meetings for the St. Paul, Minn.-based American
Association of Cereal Chemists, the American Phytopathological
Society and the American Society of Brewing Chemists.
FAUSEL OPENS EAST COAST OFFICE
Jim Fausel, CMP, CMM, owner of The Conference Connection, an
independent meetings consultant company in Scottsdale, Ariz., has
expanded the company with a new office in Ashville, N.C. The office
is managed by Elizabeth Woodruff.
FITZGERALD AND MYHRE JOIN IMN
Amber L. Fitzgerald has joined International Meeting Network's
Arlington, Va., office as director of meetings, responsible for
site selection and hotel contract negotiations. Fitzgerald was
previously sales manager for the Sheraton Premiere Hotel in Tysons
Corner, Va. Ardyce Myhre, CMP, has joined IMN's Milwaukee, Wis.,
office as director of educational services, where she will plan
association meetings. Myhre was previously senior director of
education for the Brookfield, Wis.-based International Foundation
of Employee Benefit Plans.
Suppliers
Wayne Ayres has been named executive
meetings manager for the Marco Island (Fla.) Marriott Resort &
Golf Club.Deborah Curtis is now convention sales
director for the Greater Buffalo (N.Y.) Convention & Visitors
Bureau.Ron Haven is now the director of sales
for the Palm Beach Shores Resort in Lake Worth, Fla.Darlene Moore has joined the Amarillo
(Texas) Convention and Visitor Council as director of convention
sales.James W. Skillings is the new
F&B/catering director for the Chateau Sonesta Hotel in New
Orleans.Frances McChlery is now director of
business development, conventions for the Brisbane (Queensland,
Australia) Convention and Exhibition Centre.If you would like notice of a career move
considered for inclusion in this column, contact Chrystal Ingram
White, Managing Editor, M&C,
500 Plaza Dr., Secaucus,
N.J. 07096; fax: (201) 319-1796; e-mail: cwhite@cahners.com.
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