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Coffee with...Judy Benaroche Johnson and Michael Johnson

Kaylee Hultgren August 1, 2008

ON THE MOVE

Planners
Holahan promoted at AtriCure Inc.

Terrie Holahan has been promoted to the newly created position of manager of trade shows and events for AtriCure Inc., a medical-device manufacturing company based in West Chester, Ohio. Prior to accepting the position, Holahan was the company’s trade show and event planner.

Suppliers

At the 189-room Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas, Thomas L. Beaty has been hired as food-and-beverage director and Michael Kemp is the new director of sales and marketing.

Hannah Bright has been named event manager of the Palm Beach County (Fla.) Convention Center.

The Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau has hired Lindsey Elliott as executive meetings manager and Holly Morchat as sales coordinator.

Brian Hughes has been appointed general manager of the 511-room Omni San Diego Hotel.

John R. Kiszla has been named director of sales and marketing for the 363-room InterContinental Los Angeles Century City.

Patty Laveglia has joined the 2,129-room Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City as a national sales manager.

Darla Leick has joined HelmsBriscoe as a Midwest regional manager, based in Stratford, Wis.

Irene Lin has been appointed director of sales and marketing for the 891-room Westin Seattle.

Michelle MacMullen has been hired at the 700-room Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo., as a sales manager for the Southeastern United States.

Jeff C. Pace has been named general manager of the 528-room Hyatt Regency Long Beach (Calif.).

Claire Smith, CMP, has been appointed vice president of sales and marketing at the Vancouver (B.C.) Convention & Exhibition Centre.

The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau has appointed Patricia Tarnutzer as Western regional director of accounts for its corporate meetings and incentives division.

Judy Benaroche Johnson, CMP, and Michael Johnson“Our management styles and skill sets complement each other. ”

Judy Benaroche Johnson, CMP, and Michael Johnson are a wife-and-husband team of pharmaceutical meeting planners. They head their own meetings management company, Rx Worldwide Meetings Inc., based in Plano, Texas.

Why do you work as a team?Judy: When we made the decision to purchase the company six years ago -- I was president at the time -- it made sense to combine our efforts. Mike: Judy brought the meeting planning expertise, and I had held upper-level management positions in the service industry.

How do you divide up tasks and responsibilities?Judy: I’m responsible for marketing, public relations, speaking engagements and contracts. And I still attend meetings as a hands-on operator. Mike: I focus on sales, the daily operational strategy and execution of the concept. Our management styles and skill sets complement each other.

Any advice for other couples looking to plan together? Judy: Have a passion for it, and set aside a time at the end of each day to review and plan. But make sure that the meeting has a start and stop time so you can “leave work” and have a life out of the office. Mike: We don’t agree on every solution or how business always should be conducted, but we respect each other’s opinions and understand when a compromise can be the best solution.

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