Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau promotes meetings with new national sales manager, Midwest

03/2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS: Nancy Hamilton, Lee Rose, Katie Meckley (239) 338-3500

LEE COUNTY, FL – With continued efforts to assertively promote The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel in southwest Florida to the meetings and conventions market, the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) welcomes Jerry Terp as national sales manager, Midwest.

Based in Minnesota, Terp will further market the Fort Myers/Sanibel Island area as a meetings destination to corporate, association, incentive, government, and related group meeting planners in the Midwest. In this newly created position, Terp will coordinate group sales efforts by creating sales strategies in his territory in order to fulfill the VCB’s objective of growth in the meetings market. Among Terp’s responsibilities, prospecting for new business, producing sales leads for industry partner hotels, participation in trade shows and industry events, converting leads into booked business, assisting properties with preparation and coordination of proposals, and conducting client sites inspections.

Terp brings more than 20 years of hotel and tourism industry experience, having held a variety of hotel sales, convention services, and convention and visitors bureau positions. His most recent position was as sales manager, Midwest U.S.A., for the French Lick Resort in French Lick, IN. Prior to that, Terp handled meetings, conventions, and incentive travel sales for Travel Alberta International, in Calgary, AB, Canada. Other hotel sales management positions were held with three Hyatt properties, where he was recognized with numerous awards for exceeding sales goals. Terp also received accolades for his performance as national account executive at the Meet Minneapolis Official Convention + Visitors Association, as well as convention sales manager for the St. Paul Convention & Visitors Association.

Terp is an active member in several professional hospitality organizations, such as HSMAI, MPI, PCMA, ASAE and others.

“The VCB is enthused to be aggressively expanding its initiatives to pursue the meetings and conventions market with this new position,” says VCB Executive Director Suya Davenport. “With our in-house sales staff, the 2005 opening of our office in Washington, D.C., and now a representative in the Midwest, the VCB is working harder than ever to establish The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel as a meetings destination.”

Click here to view archived media releases.