Coffee With...Michelle Malloy, CMP, CAE

On the Move
Planners
Henderson promoted at Carolina Arrangements
Amy Henderson has been promoted from senior account manager to general manager of Carolina Arrangements, a destination management and event planning company based in both Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C. She will oversee event planning, tour programs and team-building activities for both offices. Prior to joining the organization, she was the director of corporate travel for Speedway Motorsports Inc., also based in Charlotte.

Long joins Global Meetings & Incentives
Chris Long has been hired as project manager at Global Meetings & Incentives, a meetings management company in Jersey City, N.J. Previously, she was a manager of sales training and operations at Innovex Inc., a Parsippany, N.J.-based manufacturing company. Long will manage meetings for many of the company's key accounts.

Halal promoted at AMI
Anne Halal has been promoted to vice president of convention and exposition services at the Washington, D.C.-based American Meat Institute. In her new position, Halal will manage overall strategy, logistics and exhibit sales for the institute's convention and exposition. Prior to the promotion, she was vice president of convention and member services. 

Suppliers
Pamela M. Feick has been named director of sales and marketing for The Pierre in New York City. The 238-room hotel will reopen in spring 2009, after a $100 million makeover.

The Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau has named Gen Howard and Allison Kuussalo convention sales managers, and has hired Zack Davis as the bureau's new convention services manager.

Todd Hunter has been appointed director of group sales for the 694-room Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort in the Bahamas. He will be based in Miramar, Fla., and will oversee sales for the Southeastern U.S. and Canadian markets.

The San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau has hired Brenda Morales and Cleo Soto as national sales managers.


Michelle Malloy"The first words out of my mouth were, 'I want to be like the cruise director from The Love Boat.' "

Michelle Malloy, CMP, CAE, is director of meetings for the Washington, D.C.-based National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. She was this year's recipient of the Outstanding Meeting Professional Award, presented by the Association of Meeting Professionals, also based in Washington, D.C.

Do you have a role model?
My mother. From her I learned how to listen to people and really hear what they are saying. When she organized events and fundraisers, I saw how she did things today so she would not have to do them tomorrow. She is calm under pressure and taught me to treat everyone graciously and with respect.

What was your major in college?
The first words out of my mouth to my college counselor were, "I want to be like Julie McCoy, the cruise director from [the 1980s TV show] The Love Boat." There wasn't a hospitality school at the University of Maryland, so she suggested that I study public relations. Somehow I made every project into a "special event."

How do you deal with the stresses of your job?
I have fabulous friends and family that act as an excellent support group. I also try to play golf as often as possible. It's amazing how much stress you can relieve hitting a good, long drive!
 
Do you have any advice for newbies? Get involved in every way you can. I believe that you get out what you put into activities.