Local meeting planners looking to host the next big gathering for their business or organization here could make their jobs a whole easier with a call to the Flint & Genesee Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). The CVB staffs a team of professionals who can help make your big event a success.

Flint & Genesee CVB Director DeAndra McCain recalled a recent encounter with a local organization that was – and unbeknownst to McCain – planning an event for a large number of attendees who would be traveling here from out-of-town.

“I was getting a series of one-off emails and phone calls inquiring about different things, like hotels and restaurants. It was all very informal,” McCain said. “I then realized that this person was actually planning an event, and I said: Hey, the CVB can help you with that. That’s what we do.”

An article by MeetingPlanningPlaybook.com detailed “5 Reasons for Meeting Planners to Work With CVB’s and DMO’s.”  In brief, the article notes the following benefits of such collaboration:

  1. Destination experts
  2. Collaboration with the planning and operating of your event
  3. Financial support
  4. The success of the event is a mutual goal
  5. Community involvement

McCain leads a team of four CVB professionals, who specialize in various aspects of the visitor and tourism experience. In addition, all – including McCain – are Certified Tourism Ambassadors (CTAs) for Flint & Genesee.

The team consists of:

  • Courtney Irish, a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP), is a Group Sales Manager and handles the social (e.g. weddings and reunions), fraternal, military, religious, group tours and car/motorcycle clubs market.
  • Mona Murphy, CMP and Certified Sports Event Executive (CSEE), is a Sales Manager in charge of sports marketing for the region.
  • Amari Myles, is a Sales Manager who handles the association, corporations, education and government markets.
  • Dawn Stableford is a Tourism Manager who handles individual tourism and coordinates the CVB’s Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) program.

The in-house CVB staff also relies on a cadre of volunteers to help welcome visitors to Flint & Genesee. This includes the goodwill ambassadors known as the Flint Sparks as well as the trained CTAs who are available to assist with meeting preparation.

“The Flint & Genesee CVB is ready to serve and our services are free,” McCain said. “So be sure to give us a call when you’re planning your next gathering.”

For more information, contact DeAndra McCain at 810.600.1408 or dmccain@flintandgenesee.org.