Larry Alexander
Has served as president and CEO of the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau for nine years, has spearheaded the successful transition of the organization into metro Detroit’s leading tourism economic development agency. He was responsible for the creation of the Tourism Economic Development Council, a Bureau subsidiary that has implemented several new tourism improvement projects in the Detroit region, including highway beautification, convention center expansion studies, hospitality training, local and national image enhancement projects and other infrastructure enhancements.
Alexander also created the Detroit Metro Sports Commission, another wholly-owned Bureau subsidiary charged with marketing the region as a destination to host marquee sporting events as well as amateur sports. Alexander led the effort that landed Super Bowl XL and the NCAA Men’s Final Four, the AAU Junior Olympics and the USBC Women’s Bowling Championship, among many other sporting events.
Alexander’s core responsibilities include directing a staff of 50 employees that specialize in convention sales and tourism marketing. He is a hospitality veteran with over 30 years in hotel industry executive positions. He serves on numerous boards throughout the Detroit region, including the Riverfront Conservancy, the Parade Company and the National Kidney Foundation.
Jessie Allen
General manager of the Orange County Convention Center, boasts a career that spans 29 years with Orange County, Florida. Fourteen years ago, Allen assumed the role of deputy director of the Orange County Convention Center. In this position, which was later renamed general manager, he is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the facility, the second-largest convention center in the nation.In the early years of his career, Allen managed several departments within the Orange County Government structure
Elliott Ferguson
Serves as senior vice president of Convention Sales and Services for the Washington, DC Convention and Tourism Corporation (WCTC). In this position, Ferguson directs and manages the activities of WCTC’s convention sales and services staff as they promote Washington, DC as a premier meeting and convention destination. Ferguson is also charged with developing the corporation’s convention sales strategy and working with local hotel properties to further build business for individual hotels in the metro area. Additionally, he is acting as interim head of the WCTC Membership Department. Prior to joining WCTC in 2001, he served as vice-president of Sales for the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau and as director of sales for the Atlanta and the Savannah Convention & Visitors Bureau.