Ruth Eckerd Hall President and CEO Robert Freedman announced the appointment of Kevin T. Carlon as Chief Operating Officer. Carlon joins the facility with a variety of experiences that include Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood, Johnson & Wales University as well as being part of the senior management with the USA Olympics, Colorado Rockies and Denver Grizzlies. Prior to his hiring, Carlon worked with the North American Polo League in Palm Beach. “Kevin has demonstrated leadership in staff and organizational development as well as extensive knowledge of the entertainment and performing arts industry,” said Freedman. “We are pleased he has joined our highly qualified team at Ruth Eckerd Hall.”
 

With less than a year away until the official opening of the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre’s 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 named 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,” said Warren Buckley, president and CEO, PavCo, the crown corporation which manages both the VCEC and BC Place Stadium.

Global Spectrum has appointed Vince Vella as the new general manager of the General Motors Centre. He most recently served the company as director of operations at the John Labatt Centre in London, Ontario. The company also named Cortney Ager, a marketing specialist from the John Labatt Centre, as marketing manager. Ager will be responsible for creating an in-house marketing and public relations agency to promote, market and sell the facility as well as attract new events.

SMG-managed Sovereign Center and Sovereign Performing Arts Center General Manager Zane Collings announced the promotions of Troy Wenger to theater director, Steve Quinn to event manager, Ralph Flammer to operations manager, Steve Killian to operations coordinator and Joanie Berney to marketing coordinator. Collings also announced the hiring of Jason Geissler as theater maintenance manager. The facilities are based in Reading, Pennsylvania. 

Global Spectrum-managed Palm Beach County Convention Center named Hannah Bright as event manager. Bright has more than eight years of experience in the event planning industry. In her new position, she will be responsible for overseeing events that range in size from 10 people to 4,000 people. Prior to joining the convention center, Bright was an account executive at SunSplash Events, a Fort Lauderdale-based destination management company.
 

Butch Melton has joined Freeman’s national sales group as national sales manager, exposition services, announced Bob Lozier, senior executive vice president for Freeman. Most recently, Melton was in a senior sales role with GES Exposition Services in Atlanta. Melton previously worked for Freeman from 1992 to 1999 in the company’s Atlanta office, where he was instrumental in developing Freeman’s partnership with the Atlanta Market Center. “Butch has such a great deal of respect and an excellent reputation for partnering with his clients to achieve success on their events,” said Lozier. “We are very pleased he has decided to come back to Freeman.”