The Association of Real
Estate License Law
Officials in Littleton, Colo.,
has named William J.M.
Wald, CAE, MS, of Chicago
its new CEO. Previously,
Wald was CEO of the Illinois Park and
Recreation Association for nine years,
and deputy executive director for eight.
Most recently, however, he worked at
the Chicago Association of REALTORS®,
where he was senior director, business,
professional development and standards,
since 2009.
The Chicago-based
American College of
Healthcare Executives has
promoted Lisa M. Freund
to vice president, communications and marketing.
Freund previously was editor in chief of
Healthcare Executive, ACHE’s magazine, as
well as editorial director of the association’s communications and marketing
division.
Ellen Moore has joined the
Chicago-based Association
for Corporate Growth as its
new vice president, strategic
development. Prior to join-
ing ACG, Moore worked at
SmithBucklin as vice president, education
and certification services, charged with
supervising all aspects of planning and
execution for SmithBucklin’s education,
certification and accreditation services.
The Association Forum
of Chicagoland has hired
Mallory Gott-Ortiz, MA,
as its new senior manager,
education and programs.
An active member of
the Association Forum’s
Education & Program Development
Shared Interest Group, Gott-Ortiz previ-
ously was manager, education and certification services, at SmithBucklin.
The Chicago Convention
and Tourism Bureau has
hired Michael Tarr, CMP,
an 11-year veteran of the
Las Vegas Convention and
Visitors Authority, as its new
vice president, convention sales. Tarr, who
most recently served as a Chicago-based
senior manager in charge of LVCVA's
Midwest sales, will lead a 19-member team
of convention sales reps.
The St. Louis Convention
& Visitors Commission
has hired Jani Torrence
as national convention
sales manager. Torrence
most recently was a corpo-
rate sales manager for the Greater Saint
Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau in
Saint Charles, Mo.
Association Laboratory, a
Chicago-based association
consultancy, has named
Cecilia Sepp senior asso-
ciate, strategy and client
leadership. A longtime stra-
tegic partner of Association Laboratory,
Sepp joined the company’s core man-
agement team in 2008 and will lead its
Washington, D.C., office as part of her
newly expanded role.
News and Awards
Association Media & Publishing has
honored the Association Forum of
Chicagoland with two 2011 EXCEL
Awards: a Gold Award for “Web
Publishing: Redesign” for www.asso-
ciationforum.org and a Bronze Award
for “Media Innovation: Mixed Media
Campaign” for Holiday Showcase 2010.
The Association Forum was one of 196
winners — representing 99 non profit
organizations and associations — that
were selected from more than 1,100
entries. It was honored alongside
other award winners on June 1 at the
31st Annual EXCEL Awards Gala in
Washington, D.C., where Association
Media & Publishing recognizes the best
and brightest in association media.
McKinley Marketing Inc. has changed
its name to McKinley Advisors. Along
with its new name — intended to more
accurately represent its service offerings,
which encompass not only marketing, but
also research, business consulting and
outsourcing — the Washington, D.C.- and
Chicago-based association consultancy
has launched a new brand identity, website, blog and online presence that it says
will help it become “a little more visible
in sharing our knowledge and expertise
with the whole community.”
The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition
Authority, which owns and operates
McCormick Place and Navy Pier, has
selected convention center management
company SMG to oversee McCormick
Place. SMG is responsible for the management and marketing of more than 220
public assembly facilities worldwide. Its
specialized Convention Center Division
includes 67 convention and exhibition centers, including facilities in San
Francisco, Denver, Detroit and Memphis,
among others.
The Hyatt Regency Chicago in downtown
Chicago has completed a $90 million renovation encompassing its 2,019 guest
rooms, as well as 65 guest room floor corridors. All guest rooms feature new furniture, wall coverings, carpet, window treatments, artwork and lighting, as well as
completely renovated bathrooms with
new toilets, tubs, showers, sinks, vanities,
mirrors, fixtures and tile. A green renovation, the project also included the installation of digital thermostats, energy-effi-cient lighting and high-efficiency toilets,
showerheads and sink aerators.
