Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority Hires Steve Hill as President/COO; Cathy Tull, Ed Finger Promoted
January 25, 2018
As part of an organizational restructuring that began in January 2016, The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s CEO Rossi Ralenkotter announced the hiring of Steve Hill to fill the role of president and COO.
As part of the restructuring, the organization developed a c-suite structure for the executive office to better prepare for succession planning and create an organizational structure to better mirror and partner with the resort community.
Ralenkotter also announced the promotion of Cathy Tull to CMO and Ed Finger to CFO. Previous additions to the c-suite included Barbara Bolender as the Chief People Officer and Jacqueline Peterson as Chief Communications and Public Affairs Officer.
“In our continuing effort to maintain the LVCVA’s status as the premier destination marketing organization in the world, we established our new corporate structure to better reflect the resort industry and our hospitality partners in Southern Nevada,” said Rossi Ralenkotter, CEO of the LVCVA.
He added, “With these final appointments to our executive suite, we are better positioned to move the organization forward and develop more of our key staff to further improve upon our efforts to attract more visitors to Las Vegas.”
Hill comes to the LVCVA from his position as Executive Director of the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), a position he held since the agency was established by Governor Brian Sandoval and the Nevada Legislature in 2011.
Prior to GOED, Hill was a founder of Silver State Materials and Chairman of Service 1st Bank. He also serves as the Chairman of the Las Vegas Stadium Authority and will retain that position. Hill will join the LVCVA on Jan. 22.
Tull was promoted to the newly created position of Chief Marketing Officer, which was effective as of Jan. 1.
Tull has been with the LVCVA since 2005, serving as the Vice President of Strategic Planning and moving to Senior Vice President of Marketing, where she has overseen the LVCVA’s marketing efforts since 2009.
Ed Finger was promoted from Senior Vice President of Finance to CFO, following the departure of Rana Lacer, the organization’s first CFO.
Finger joined the LVCVA in 2016 following a stint as the Deputy County Manager for Adams County, Colorado, and Assistant County Manager for Clark County, Nevada.
Bolender joined the LVCVA in 2016 from Boyd Gaming and Peterson was hired in 2017 with previous experience at Live Nation Entertainment and Caesars Entertainment.
Lacer departs the LVCVA after serving as the Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer since2008.
Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact
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