HONOLULU, HI — The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) welcomes strategic sales leader Lynn Whitehead as Meet Hawaii’s Senior Director, Citywide Sales. In the role, Whitehead will be responsible for covering the eastern U.S. region, promoting Hawaii as a preferred destination for citywide conventions and generating citywide leads and bookings for the Hawaii Convention Center and MCI hotels.
Whitehead is a hospitality sales veteran with more than three decades of experience. She most recently served as National Sales Director, Eastern Region focused on citywide conventions for the San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA). There she managed sales of 13,000-plus hotel rooms and 2.6 million sq. ft. of space for association clients in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia. Prior to SDTA, she served as Director of National Accounts for the San Diego Convention Center Corporation.
“Lynn is a proven sales professional with extensive experience identifying and securing leads resulting in highly successful repeat conventions, and we are confident that she will deliver those same results here in Hawaii,” said John Monahan, HVCB’s President and CEO. “We’re thrilled to have Lynn on board as her wealth of sales and convention-generating expertise will be invaluable in further establishing Hawaii as a premier convention destination.”
Hawaii Tourism Authority President and CEO John De Fries added, “Citywide group business is important for Hawaii’s economic well-being, benefitting our community and diverse range of industry partners. We are pleased to welcome Lynn to the Meet Hawaii team as we collectively work toward meaningful recovery for the state.”
“With its natural scenic beauty, unique history and culture, combined with modern technology and accommodations, Hawaii is a dream convention destination,” said Whitehead, who will work remotely from Baltimore, MD. “I am so excited to join the HVCB’s Meet Hawaii team and am honored to showcase all the benefits of bringing conventions to this island paradise.”
Whitehead is a member of PCMA and serves on its community and marketing committee. She is also a member of CVB Reps in Washington, D.C., and the Association of Meeting Professionals. Whitehead is the recipient of several industry awards and accolades, including recently being named by PCMA as its Capital Chapter “Star of the Quarter” for the first quarter of 2021.
