For more information, contact

Gwen Wilson, OCCC Public Relations Manager

407-685-5796 - office

gwen.wilson@occc.net

 

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 12, 2013) - Orange County Convention Center’s Executive Director, Kathie Canning is pleased to announce the selection of Rodney Gutierrez and Michelle Neely to management positions at the Convention Center (OCCC).

 

Rodney Gutierrez has been chosen as the Senior Director of Sales, Event Management and Exhibitor Services. He will oversee the OCCC sales team to offer and advise new and existing convention clients on all aspects of Orlando's convention offerings as well as the daily operations of the event management and exhibitor services staffs.

 

Gutierrez has more than 20 years of hospitality and sales experience. Before coming to the OCCC, he was a meetings and events manager for BCD Travel handling the Darden Restaurant account in Orlando, FL. Prior to BCD Travel, Gutierrez worked for Tupperware as a meeting planner and the Orlando Convention & Visitors Bureau as an account executive. He is an active member of Meeting Professionals International and holds a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Designation. Gutierrez will focus his sales efforts on the northeast and west coast meetings market.

 

Michelle Neely has been selected as the Center’s director of event management and exhibitor services. In her new role, Neely will focus her efforts on monitoring event management activities, provide onsite service to the Center’s clients and work closely with the exhibitor services team. Neely has worked for the Convention Center for 12 years, starting as an event manager and moving on to several progressive positions, including a senior event manager, senior sales manager and assistant manager for event management. She managed events for high-profile clients such as the National Association of Home Builders, McDonald’s, the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions, Performance Racing Industry, SHOT Show, Microsoft and many more.

 

Celebrating 30 years of success, the Orange County Convention Center is the second largest convention facility in America. Each year the OCCC attracts more than 200 events to the Central Florida area. As a result, roughly 1.4 million attendees contribute approximately $2.1 billion to the area's economy each year. For more information about the Orange County Convention Center visit our Web site at www.occc.net. 

03/2013