Everyone at Elite Meetings is deeply saddened by the passing of Mike Dimond on June 23, 2008. We dearly valued his enthusiasm, passion, and contributions to the Elite Meetings Advisory Board. We will miss him.


Michael J. Dimond ranked among the most celebrated leaders in the meeting and hospitality industry. In his years as Senior Vice President of Marketing for The Broadmoor in Colorado, Dimond's career spanned four decades in top management and marketing positions with Hyatt Regency Hotels, Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center, Boca Raton Hotel & Club, and Caesars Palace.

Dimond's affiliations with professional industry organizations included service on the boards of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and Meeting Professionals International (MPI).

His many industry honors included the ASAE's Academy of Leaders Award and Supplier of the Year from MPI. Dimond was inducted into Convention Industry Council's (CIC) Hall of Leaders and was a member of Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International's (HSMAI) Hall of Fame.

In 2003, HSMAI further honored Dimond as one of "The 25 Most Extraordinary Sales & Marketing Minds in the Hospitality & Travel Industry."

Andy Anderson, a seasoned professional with an extensive background in the hospitality industry, has led sales and development efforts for St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, Foresthills Hotels & Resorts, and Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

His resume goes on to include key sales positions with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and Hyatt Hotels. Today, in his role as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Destination Hotels & Resorts, Anderson oversees the sales and marketing efforts for 34 individual properties in tandem with corporate programs, including the transition of new properties into the collection.

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) recognized Anderson with the "President's Award" in 1992. Two years later, MPI recognized him again, this time with one of its most prestigious awards, "Supplier of the Year."

As the former Director of Corporate Events for VMware, Inc., Louise Barnes was responsible for the strategic planning and integrated program approach to VMware's industry tradeshow, launch and VMworld events.

Prior to VMware, Inc., Barnes spent eight years at Schwab Institutional as Director of Client Education & Events. Her background also includes a position as Senior Event Manager for Carlson Marketing Group, where her corporate accounts included Oracle and Varilux.

With regard to her participation on the EMAB, Barnes says, "This is a great opportunity to help design a magazine, Web site, and networking events that address the needs of corporate planners in the venue search and selection process."

Hillary Bessiere has spent more than 14 years in the meetings and events industry. Currently she is Vice President of Client Services for Firesky Events Group where she manages events ranging in size from 10 to 5,000 attendees. Before joining Firesky she managed the global meetings and events group for Network Appliance, Inc. and spent close to eight years managing the Americas Sales Events Group at Symantec Corporation, where she produced more than 30 events per year.

Bessiere also has a strong background in marketing and public relations. Prior to Symantec, she worked as an account executive at Ketchum Public Relations in San Francisco, where she developed national media tours with renowned chefs to promote consumer products such as Kikkoman Soy Sauce, California Strawberries, and Spice Islands Spices. She's also held public relations and marketing positions with Hyatt Hotels and KSAN Radio in San Francisco. "The events industry provides a working environment that is dynamic, exciting and challenging," says Bessiere. "But most of all, it's truly gratifying to see your hard work pay off through successful and memorable events."

Kelly Foy founded Elite Meetings International, Inc. in 2006, after having spent 11 years traveling the globe in search of the finest hotels and resorts. His goal: to create the meeting and incentive industry's first and most trusted peer-rated endorsement of first-class properties to host conferences, special events and business retreats. Foy wishes to bring attention as much to the grand luxury resorts and metropolitan hotels as smaller, outstanding destinations off the beaten path.

Together with fellow board members and the EMI staff, Foy has successfully launched the two annual issues of Elite Meetings magazine and its Web counterpart, EliteMeetings.com. Both resources are designed to be the definitive resource for meeting and incentive planners seeking the very best properties to host events.

A procurement specialist with Synthes, Glenna Fulks' career began as an aide to Mike DeWine, the lieutenant governor of Ohio who later became a United States senator. She left the political arena to become a Global Meetings Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where she spent much of her time in international locations planning events for the telecommunications industry.

Six years ago she moved to the pharmaceutical industry, where she sources at least 65 programs a year, performs site visits and handles contracts for all meetings.

The best part of her job, she says, is that she's able to maintain her working relationships with vendors she has known for years. "The chance to participate in such an exciting venture with Kelly Foy, the Elite Meetings team and the other talented members of the Advisory Board is a rare opportunity," Fulks says.

In her 27 years with AAA, Mable Jones has served as a Training and Development Area Manager, Territory Sales Manager, and currently, as Director of Sales Administration, a role that includes taking part in the AAA rating process. Her more than 19 years of experience in event planning include coordinating annual sales banquets and incentive trips for AAA, and events for many of the nonprofit boards she serves on, including UNFC, YWCA, and the Booker T. Washington Business Association.

"I am proud to be on the EMAB," she says, "as it allows me to meet and work with meeting planners responsible for agent recognition and to learn about fabulous destinations during annual EMAB meetings and the Elite Meetings Alliance."

As Vice President of the Global Sales-Group, North America for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Carol B. Lynch oversees eight Global Sales offices in North America. She leads a sales organization of 77 senior and global account directors and is responsible for $915 million in annual revenue.

Lynch joined Starwood in 1985 as a Senior Sales Manager in the New York Global Sales Office. In 1989, she opened a satellite office for Sheraton Global Sales in Stamford, Connecticut. When she assumed the role of Director of the New York Global Sales Office, she led the effort to integrate the Sheraton and Westin Global Sales Offices into a Starwood Global Sales Office that sells all brands in the Starwood portfolio.

Expert planner Susan Simmons' experience in the meeting and incentive industry spans nearly three decades. She spent seven years as the Corporate Meeting Planner for Advance Auto Parts (AAP), a Fortune 500 company with more than 3,000 retail stores and a highly profitable commercial sales division. Prior to AAP, Simmons worked for Marriott Hotels as Director of Sales and Director of Catering and Conventions.

Her background also includes five years with Holiday Inn as Sales Manager and Regional Vice President of Sales, five years in management with a private country club, and two years in banquet management for Marriott.

Simmons' position with AAP involved planning meetings, special events and incentive trips for more than 43,000 team members. She also orchestrated five to seven programs nationwide each week that ranged in size from 10 to 4,500 participants.