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CHICAGO CONVENTION & TOURISM BUREAU ADDS SALES MANAGER
TO FOCUS ON CHICAGO’S NEED PERIOD BUSINESS
Sara Turkowski Appointed Manager, Convention Sales
CHICAGO, IL – September 15, 2008 – Mark Theis, Executive Vice President for the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau (CCTB) today announced the appointment of Sara Turkowski as Manager, Convention Sales. Turkowski joins the CCTB on September 15.
In this position, Turkowski will focus her efforts on securing corporate and association business that meets during “shoulder season” and specific need periods within the next three years, requiring less than 750 room nights on peak in Chicago.
With ongoing competition and the nation’s economic position ceasing to improve, the CCTB continues to anticipate Chicago’s hospitality community’s needs and economic shifts by developing initiatives to aid in securing meetings and convention business for Chicago.
“Adding Sara to our already aggressive sales team will help in driving incremental results while complementing greater service and attention to our customers,” said Theis. “Chicago continues to stand out as the premier destination for meetings, conventions and trade shows and the Bureau strives to tap an even wider reach attracting others to experience it first-hand.”
Chicago Select, an initiative recently launched by the CCTB, is a comprehensive toolkit jam-packed with value pricing on air and ground transportation, hotel accommodations, special event venues and retail and cultural experiences for the first quarters of 2009 through 2011 all to encourage meeting planners to choose Chicago. For additional details about this program visit www.choosechicago.com.
Most recently, Turkowski was a Sales Manager at the Hyatt Regency Chicago responsible for the International and SMERF markets. Prior to 2006, she was a Sales Manager at the Hyatt Lodge McDonald Campus working with the Primary/Specialty market.
She is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University where she concentrated in Hospitality Management.
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Editor’s Note: a headshot is available upon request